Calamity Link
by ZeroTech
Summary: In the final battle, tragedy strikes again. If you lost everything, but had the chance to right the wrong, what would you pay to get it all back?
1. Finishing The Fight

It began with a decisive battle that would change the tide of time.

As I had watched the Calamity Ganon's malice spill from its body, I had thought it was over. The Champions' spirits would finally be able to rest, and Hyrule would return to an era of peace. The burning embers floated through the air around me, darkness condensing overhead as it slowly collapsed into itself. As the last of the malice dispersed in the air, there was a brilliant light, and I felt myself being pulled away.

As the light faded, I found myself standing in the field outside of the castle, with Epona at my side.

For a moment I thought I'd done it – that I'd defeated him, once and for all.

But something wasn't right.

There was a hissing coming from somewhere, the draw of wind to something behind me, and I turned to find myself staring up into a tornado of dark malice and burning embers. It was morphing, spilling over itself as it condensed and began to take shape, and I staggered a pace back in horror.

It wasn't dead. It was _regrouping_.

As I stared at the abomination before me, I could hear Zelda's voice:

 _Ganon was born out of a dark past. He is a pure embodiment of the ancient evil that is reborn time and time again…but now he has given up on reincarnation and assumed his pure, enraged form. If set free upon our world, the destruction will be unlike anything ever seen before…_

The beast planted a cloven hoof on the ground, shaking the earth. A second hoof followed, before the skull formed itself in a burst of red fire, and Epona whinnied in fright as the creature reared back its head, assuming shape as an enormous, primal boar covered in bright flames.

 _I entrust you with the Bow of Light - a powerful weapon in the face of evil._

In the air above me, a weapon materialized. It was a shining bow, golden and glowing as it drifted down to the earth between me and the dark beast. Zelda's voice continued, soft but strong.

 _Link…you may not yet be at a point where you have fully recovered your power, or all of your memories…but courage need not be remembered…for it is never forgotten._

She was right…I didn't remember much of my past life.

I only had vague memories of the other Champions:

The motherly warrior, Urbosa, who guided me when I was lost and kept me going with her blunt encouragement. My brother-in-arms, Daruk, with his joyful friendship and unfailing strength, a man who would protect those close to him no matter the odds. My rival-turned-friend, Revali, who always pushed me to go beyond myself, even if it wasn't his intention. My dearest childhood friend, Mipha, who was always there when I needed her most, be it healing my clumsy scrapes as a child or saving my life as I fought against the malice.

They were my dearest friends, and in a way, my family.

My only solace now was that when this was over and peace was returned, I would find them all waiting for me in Hylia's Garden.

Setting my jaw, I strode to Epona's side, set for a battle.

I had failed them all before.

I would not fail again.

I swing myself up into the saddle, kicking my heels into Epona's side, and we race for the Bow of Light as the beast before us roars his rage to the sky. As I get close, the beast turns to face me, flame gathering in its open maw. I rush to the bow, reaching out for it as I wheel Epona to the right, and the heat of the creature's breath crackles along my skin as it passes just beside us.

Upon touching the divine weapon, I feel a surge of power flow through my veins, hot and bright and pure as if I am touching a heavenly being.

No sooner do I have the weapon in my grip when I hear Zelda's voice again:

 _The energy covering Ganon's body is pure Malice. None of your attacks will get through as he is now. I will hold the Malice back as much as I can, but my power is waning. Attack any glowing points that you see._

As I circle to the creature's right I can see small spots where light is piercing through the Malice – where Zelda is breaking through the darkness for me - and I quickly take aim. My arrow barely connects before the light is gone again, but it is enough to have the beast bellowing in pain.

In that moment, I feel a rush of adrenaline.

It can be hurt.

I can do this, I can defeat him.

I ride in a wide circle around Ganon, lining up shot after shot as I look for the weaknesses in his armor, the missing scales where Zelda's light blazes through to show me the way. With each arrow that pierces his Malice, the beast seems to weaken, but it also seems to become more enraged, its swings gaining speed and power in its frenzy.

One of my shots seems to be the tipping point of the battle, however, because the dark beast begins to buck wildly, a light bursting through the Malice from atop his head as I hear Zelda call to me once more.

 _That's the very core of Ganon's being! Do what you must, Link!_

Catching the updraft from a nearby fire – where the dark beast's attack has scorched the very earth - I ride up above the beast and take aim at what appears to be a giant yellow slitted eye, glowing in the center of the beast's head. I pull back the string of my bow as an arrow of light forms in my grip, the tip pointed at the center of the pupil. Before the fletching can slip from my fingers, however, a deep, grating voice echoes through my head, chilling me to my very core.

 _FOOLISH BOY!_

Before I can react, the beast strikes me from below, its foul, flaming breath curling up around my body and charring my glider to ash in my grip. My shot goes wide as I fall, the arrow blinking off into the distance like a falling star as the air rushes past me and I hear the beast laugh.

It is the last thing I hear as I hit the ground with splintering force, and my world plunges violently into black.

* * *

… _.nk_

 _..et..p..i..l_

 _Get up Link!_

 _GET UP!_

I slowly blink my eyes open, the ghostly green visage of Mipha's kind face swimming in my vision.

"Am I dead?" I rasp, my voice barely a whisper.

"No," Mipha says, her voice carrying a distinct hint of relief despite the tense, rushed tone. "I used everything I had just to keep you alive while the others held Ganon off."

I slowly raise my head, looking around until I spot the other Champion's spirits distracting Ganon.

Daruk is rolling around, shouting taunts at Ganon and calling him names, and Urbosa is summoning lightning bolts to annoy the creature as Revali wheels in circles around the beast's head, drawing its gaze.

For a moment, I dare to hope that there is still a chance, that I can resume the fight, and I struggle to my feet with Mipha hovering at my side, helping to steady me.

I look around for the Bow of Light, shifting my weight as I brace myself to rejoin the fight, but when I finally spot the divine weapon, my heart falls.

There in the dirt, the light fading from its gilded surface, the Bow of Light lies broken in two.

The best chance we had to defeat Ganon…gone.

Mipha notices my expression fall in despair, and cups her hands gently around my face, drawing my gaze back to her.

"All is not lost, Link. We still have you, and you have us, as well as the Master Sword. There is yet hope."

I take a step back from her and draw the sword from my back, looking over the worn blade as it pulses a brilliant blue.

The Master Sword – created to seal away darkness. Perhaps all is not yet lost, after all.

The sword's glow alerts Ganon to my awakening, and I direct my attention to the beast as it wheels to face me, the other Champions forgotten. There is no time to move as the beast opens its mouth, flame licking over its jaw as it _screams_. Ganon charges, and out of pure instinct I raise the sword to block, shifting to put myself between the creature and Mipha.

I close my eyes and brace myself for the flames, the full heat of its rage as it tramples toward me, cloven hoofs tearing up chunks of earth.

But Ganon doesn't make it close enough to strike.

There is a tremendous crash and I open my eyes to find Daruk standing between me and the beast, using the full force of his protection to hold it back as its hooves gouge trenches into the ground, struggling to surge forward.

"Go on, little guy, we believe in you! Finish the fight!" Daruk says, smiling back at me through the strain. "Urbosa, think you can shock that beast for long enough to let Link get close?"

Urbosa steps up beside me a heartbeat later, her arms crossed as she looks over the beast in contempt.

"I can try, but it will take a bit to focus that much lightning. My powers have dwindled since becoming a spirit, you know."

Urbosa moves her hands before her, artfully concentrating the brunt of her attack to one location in hopes of stunning the beast. "Mipha you should get out of here as well," Urbosa orders, and Mipha nods, fading away in a little burst of light.

"The faster you set it up, the better," Daruk says through gritted teeth, shooting a glance back at us. "I don't know how much longer I can hold this beast back."

At the very edges, I can see his protection beginning to fracture and give way beneath the assault.

"Revali!" Urbosa yells. "Get Link up high, so he can strike from above."

"Since when did I become the carrier pigeon for the group?" Revali gripes as he swoops to the ground.

"Daruk and I are busy at the moment. Just get him out of here, otherwise you'll be getting this lightning bolt instead of the beast!" Urbosa demands.

"All right, all right," Revali grumbles as he clasps his talons around my shoulders and begins to hoist.

"Link, it should nearly be ready," Urbosa calls as I am carried into the air.

Above the giant flaming boar a swirling storm cloud has formed, lightning crackling dangerously between the clouds as it laces itself tighter.

"Watch for the opening. I have a feeling I will not have a chance to do this again," Urbosa shouts as I am whisked away. "You can do this, kid!"

As Revali lifts me above the beast, I ready my sword, bracing myself for the drop as soon as Urbosa's lightning strikes.

But she never gets the chance.

With a splintering crack that shakes the very air, Daruk's protection shatters, and in a heartbeat the beast strikes, breathing a cloud of flame and malice over the spirits of the two Champions before it.

In a second, they are both gone.

A wretched, tearing sensation hits me in the chest, knocking the breath from me and leaving me feeling hollowed out and raw.

I can no longer feel their presence.

Daruk and Urbosa are gone.

Permanently.

That horrible, grating voice echoes out again, laughing as the beast paws the charred ground, looking around for its next target.

I can feel Revali trembling where he holds me, the agony of losing the others sinking in as he strains to lift me higher above the beast.

"Make sure he feels the sting of…our revenge, Link," he pants, moving in closer.

The beast looks up as we approach, opening its mouth once more. I try to call out to Revali, to tell him to watch out, but with my additional weight he can't maneuver quickly enough to get out of the way of the incoming attack.

"You got this, Link. We are always behind you!" he shouts, grunting with effort as he swings me through the air, sending me plummeting toward the beast half a second before the flame burns his spirit from existence as well, sentencing him to the same fate as Daruk and Urbosa.

A cry of rage tears from my throat as I focus my attention down, the wind whipping in my eyes as I squint to see my target. I cannot fail here; I have already lost too much to give up now.

Above me the cloud that Urbosa had summoned is swirling more densely, faint thunder rumbling as it builds charge, even without the Champion to guide it.

The beast turns its attention to me as I fall, sword braced and ready to pierce the very heart of its malice. But the creature is not afraid.

In the air as I am, without a glider or any way to direct my fall, I am an easy target; and I can hear the gravely, booming laugh once more as the beast tips its head back and opens its mouth.

I can see the fire building, bubbling like lava over its tongue as it readies itself, the substance rolling dark and thick with mottled bursts of light where the flame licks through. As I continue to fall, I hear the soft echo of Mipha's voice, still at my side and willing me on.

"I always knew you were destined for greatness, Link. Ever since we were children, I knew."

"Mipha, go," I order her. There is no need for her spirit to die with me.

"I am sad that this will be our last moment together," she says softly, her spirit giving a little tug as she prepares to separate from me, and for a moment I think that maybe she will escape. Maybe she will get away.

As I fall closer, the creature rears back, and all I can do is pray that some little piece of me will make it through the flame to hit the beast. That my death will not be entirely in vain.

The creature bellows loud enough to shake the earth, sending the scalding malice up into the air in a plume, headed right for me. The crackling roar approaches, drowning out all else in an unbearable heat, but before it can touch me I hear a soft whisper echoing through my being.

"I just want you to know that….I always loved you."

Before I can even react, Mipha's spirit bursts into being in front of me, arms stretched wide as she shields me from Ganon's attack.

For one horrible, dragging second, everything seems to stop as I watch the flames hit her and curl around, licking at her spirit as it tears her very being to shreds before me. She turns her head a fraction, her big amber eyes shining in agony, and gives me a final little smile.

"I'm sorry, Link," she whispers.

And then she is gone.

As if she was never there at all.

The agony hits like nothing I've ever felt before, her loss tearing a fissure in my soul that feels like it will never be able to heal. I am empty. They are all gone.

Ganon has taken everything from me.

My scream of pain and rage is drowned out by the deafening crack of thunder overhead, and a bolt of lightning laces down blindingly to strike the boar, sending the beast into violent convulsions with a piercing squeal as I blink tears from my eyes to line my blade up with my target.

The malice parts for a moment, revealing a pulsing yellow center - the beast's very core - as I plummet towards it with the Master Sword held out before me. The slitted eye shimmers like water beneath me and I plunge into it without resistance, my sword tearing through the membrane like rice paper. I am engulfed in swirling malice a moment later as the beast lets out a bellow of pain, its body thrashing around me as I sink deeper and deeper into the heart of it, the Master Sword's blue glow the only light in the ever-increasing darkness.

I can feel myself falling deeper and deeper and deeper into the dark...

And then everything goes black.


	2. Wavering Spirit

**A/N:** Hi everyone. Sorry I didn't introduce myself in the first chapter, I didn't know how to use Fanfic, lol. Anyway, I see that people enjoyed my first chapter. I hope my second chapter can live up to it. I would like to give a shout-out to my editor/co-author (in life and in fanfic) Kagetora no Tsume. If you're in the Avengers or Hobbit fandoms, go check out some of her stuff!

I would also like to add a warning for this chapter. It...um...got a bit darker than I thought it was going to. So heads up for graphic depictions of violence, and again, major character death.

* * *

The first thing I become aware of, once the adrenaline shock wears off, is the crushing pressure of hatred and sorrow surrounding me, and the ever-present darkness filling my vision. The only source of light is coming from the faint blue glow of the Master Sword, still clenched tightly in my grip.

I have barely a minute to wonder why I am still here when a strained, grating voice echoes around me.

 _I will not be going alone, Hero._

I look around sharply for the source of the voice, but I can see nothing in the darkness.

 _Upon my death I plan to take you and that blasted Princess with me, swallowing you both in the Malice. But first…you will know suffering like never before_.

Strings of malice fly from the darkness around me before I can react, lashing my arms tight to my sides and crushing the breath from my lungs. The Master Sword is still gripped in my hands, the blade throbbing an unearthly blue, but I am helpless to use it. Before me, the malice begins to part and swirl, an underlying glow of hot rage throwing jagged features into sharp contrast, and to my growing horror I find myself staring into the wicked snarl of a face.

 _Since entering my body, I have been able to feel your sorrow and regrets. It fills me with joy to know that in my dying moment, I can make the pathetic remainder of your life miserable. I see that you care for the dead Champions… How about I show you their dying moments firsthand?_

I cry out as something forces its way into my mind, thick and heavy and threading like mud through my thoughts, dragging me down and under into some vast unknown nothingness, and I am helpless to do anything as it hollows me out and casts me into sudden light and heat and noise.

I find my consciousness locked in a strange body, the form dripping with malice around me. I am standing somewhere searingly hot and blindingly bright, and the jarring contrast to the oppressive darkness of a moment ago scrapes at my senses agonizingly.

It takes me a long second to recognize the stone structures around me, the bright glow of power peeking between the jointed rocks…I am on one of the divine beasts, and given the heat, it must be Vah Rudania.

I am given barely a second to regain my senses and wonder why I've been brought here when a rough shout draws my attention down.

Daruk is standing in front of me, as solid and real as he is in my few regained memories, and for a moment I am caught with unspeakable joy. He is here. He is _okay_.

But something is not right.

Unlike the Daruk from the scraps of my past, the one who follows me with his spirit, the one before me seems to be much shorter, as if I am hovering above the towering stone giant, looking down at him. I try to move toward him, to call out to him, but my body doesn't respond. When I try again, the result is much the same. It is as if I am paralyzed, every part of my body, down to the very blink of my eyes, is out of my control.

"Is that all you got, you overgrown Bokoblin sludge?" Daruk yells, and a chill runs down my spine, anticipating an enemy behind me while I am defenseless, but even that seems wrong.

He isn't looking past me as he readies his weapon, he is looking _at_ me.

For the first time, I realize that he is injured. I can see cracks forming like spiderwebs across his russet skin, and his Boulder Breaker is severely damaged.

"Come on! I still got fight in me!" Daruk taunts, and there is no mistaking this time that he is talking to me.

I feel my right arm rise involuntarily, but it's not until I catch a glimpse of the enormous guardian sword out of the corner of my eye that I realize what is going on.

The dawning horror feels like a sword through the ribs, bitterly cold and sharp as I realize that I am trapped inside of Fireblight Ganon, my consciousness an unwilling prisoner to his actions.

I know what is coming next, and I fight against the motion as Ganon brings an arm – _my_ arm – around to level his sword at Daruk. The champion charges forward, bellowing a war cry that rumbles like an earthquake from his broad chest, low and dangerous. I scream at him with mute vocal chords to stop, to retreat, that he will be killed if he does this, but Ganon has me hostage and not so much as a peel escapes my lips.

My right arm swings forward with a tremendous amount of force and as Daruk tries to block, the guardian weapon cleaving through the Boulder Breaker like it was made of wood, and I can only watch in horror as Ganon's strike – delivered by _my_ hand - carves a deep gash in the Goron's chest, splitting him wide.

I can feel myself trembling as Daruk falls to his knees, a blank look on his face.

"Sorry little guy…I guess it's up to you now," he mutters to no one, his voice breathy with the hiss of air leaving his lungs, and I am left to stand over him as the life drains from his eyes.

I can do nothing to prevent Fireblight Ganon from dragging his body to the edge of the Divine Beast and tossing it callously into the crater of Death Mountain.

My vision snaps back to the darkness so quickly that I'm dizzy for a long moment, my head and heart reeling at the memory of my hand striking down my friend.

I release a breath I didn't know I was holding, the sound shuddering across my lips. It had been so real…the slight resistance of Daruk's body on the other end of my blade, the searing heat of the dry volcanic air, and the feel of my hand closing around my friend's throat to drag his corpse off the edge of Rudania...

I feel sadness sweep over me, the Master Sword resting heavy in my grip with the guilt of my actions.

 _What's wrong, "little guy?"_ Ganon laughs. _You understand now, that you are at my mercy? I single-handedly took down your Champions and witnessed their pathetic final moments. Don't give up yet, Hero. You still have more comrades to see perish…_

As if on command, I am dragged under once more, thrashing against the malice in vain as Ganon stuffs me into another body that's not my own.

This time I can hear the rough grinding of stone echoing in my ears, the blistering sting of sand whipping against my skin as the desert wind screams past.

I can see Urbosa before me, tired and beaten down and struggling to stay on her feet. There is blood running down her arms and legs from the deep gouges that have been carved there, and I swallow hard as I watch drip after precious drip seep into the dark sand at her feet.

I realize after a moment that I am trapped in another one of the dark beast's bodies – Thunderblight Ganon. And with dawning horror, I realize that I am here to witness Urbosa's death.

Despite the fierce Gerudo's combat prowess, it seems that Thunderblight's speed is slowly wearing her down, landing small strikes through her defense and moving too fast for her lightning to help her.

There is still a ferocity in her eyes that would strike fear into any monster, but the creature before her is no natural beast. Never one to mince words in a battle, she beat her sword against her shield with a ringing clang, taunting the blight.

My surroundings went blurry as Thunderblight dashed forward, his target the only clear object in his vision. For a split second I was in front of Urbosa, my blade raised to strike, but as she raised her shield to block the oncoming attack my vision went blurry again.

The next thing I knew I was standing behind her.

In the sheen of her shield, I could see her eyes reflected, wide with shock as she realized what had happened. As my arm arced toward her throat, I saw her eyes flood with defeat – a look that I thought I would never see.

With one sharp slice, Urbosa's head tipped sideways and rolled from her shoulders, landing at her feet with a wet thump as her body slowly went limp. Blood began to bubble from her severed jugular, and my stomach churned at the sight. I closed my eyes as her body crumpled to the ground, trying to get the sight from my mind, and I felt the malice drag me back into the void once more.

I'm tired, the crushing feeling of despair sweeping through my limbs and dragging at them like weights. The Master Sword feels like lead in my hands. I keep telling myself that none of the Champions' deaths were in vain, however there is no denying that they could have been prevented.

 _You look a little ill, Hero,_ Ganon says, voice dripping with a mockery of pity. _Maybe you need some fresh air…_

I try to fight back against the malice that swamps my mind, seeping into every bit of me as I fight it, but ultimately there is nothing I can do to resist as I am once again plunged into a body that is not my own.

The rattling boom of cannon fire thumps against my chest with a physical force as cold wind rushes around me. It only takes me a second to spot Revali, circling in the sky above Vah Medoh.

This time, it seems, my consciousness is trapped within Windblight.

"You think you can control the skies better than a Rito... Ha! Your skills are but a mere shadow of what I can do," Revali boasts.

Even facing his death, the Rito's personality shines bright, the Champion whirling in the wind like a falling leaf as he dodges attacks from Windblight with ease.

While Revali may have superior control of the sky, however, the marksmanship of the blight that entraps me is more than his equal. Revali fires off three bomb arrows at me, which I shoot down with my cannons before they even get remotely near their targets.

I feel an odd pulling at my back, the draw and click of a number of objects detatching, and from the corner of my eye I catch sight of four small pods flying toward the Rito.

Revali dodges to the best of his ability, wheeling around and twisting to avoid being hit as he tries to shoot them down in turn, but the continuous firing of Windblight and the pods throws his concentration off, and arrow after arrow arcs harmlessly into the void beneath us.

I can see Revali starting to panic, his focus fraying away with each failed shot as his quiver nears empty, the Windblight's shots searing his feathers with how near they pass. I hear him growl in pain as one of the blasts hits him full in the wing, splintering delicate avian bones and boiling the flesh, and there is no recovering from there. Shot after shot slams into the struggling Rito, blood splattering like paint across his feathers as he flails to stay airborne.

It is a losing battle.

My eyes are burning with tears as the shots pause, leaving Revali heaving for breath and struggling to keep his ragged body airborne, in the center of all of the pods. The Rito looks up, a tiny spark of defiance in his eyes as he claws his trembling wings through the air, slowly losing altitude with every thick drip of blood from his body.

"Lucky…shot." Revali coughs as his shredded wings finally give out on him, sending him plummeting to the ground below in a limp tangle of limbs. The pods chase him out of sight, the distant booming of cannonfire echoing up to me as they continue to tear him apart.

Before I can react, I am plunged back into the void, Ganon's laugh echoing cruelly around me.

"That's enough!" I scream, but that only makes him laugh all the more.

 _Have I struck a nerve, Hero?_ he taunts. _I can feel your despair and pain, and I must say it feels glorious. Your suffering will give my soul peace as we both die. Sadly, the princess couldn't be awake to see your suffering…_

I jolt a little at his mention of the princess - I had forgotten that Zelda was still in the darkness as well – and the guilt at the reminder is crushing. I had hoped that killing the beast would be enough to free her from her prison, and at least someone could survive this nightmare, but now it seems that she will simply die along with the rest of us.

 _Why the long face, Hero? I saved the best for last…_

"No…" The word leaves my lips before I can even think about what I'm saying, the reaction entirely visceral. I cannot watch her die. Knowing that she had passed had already been enough to shatter my heart, but having to watch it…having to go through the motions of the blight that killed her…that would surely destroy me.

As with every other time, however, I am given no choice in the matter as the malice plunges into my head once more, throwing me into another false body.

The crisp splash of water echoes around me, light streaming in long, narrow shafts through little windows cut in the stone overhead. I am in Vah Ruta.

I am in the body of Waterblight Ganon.

I try to close my eyes against what I know is about to happen, but Ganon has taken even that petty sanctuary from me, and I cannot look away.

At first I appear to be alone in the chamber, surrounded by brown, murky water, and for one desperate moment I wonder if he's made a mistake. If I will be spared this tragedy.

The slight splash of moving water behind me dashes those hopes into dust.

Waterblight Ganon turns, bringing my head along with his, and my eyes catch a blur of sleek red and white shooting up from the water.

Something pierces my side, heavy and sharp, and I scream in pain in time with the blight as Mipha lands a quick blow with her trident before vanishing into the depths once more. Waterblight Ganon casts about for a long minute, stabbing the spear into water at random as he tries to find her.

I can see gouges carved in the beast's arms, and based on the piercing ache seeping from various parts of my body, Mipha must have been at this for a while now.

I can feel the creature's frustration rising as I float to a new location in the chamber, searching the water for the Zora.

Another small splash is my only warning before I am struck again, this time in the back, and the blight howls in pain as I feel the hollowing blow down to my very core.

Mipha, though small, is a rather experienced fighter, and knows exactly where her strengths lie. In the water, she is truly a force to be reckoned with.

The little splash from off to my left has me whipping around to deflect, but I am a second too slow, and Mipha's trident gouges my side.

I smile even as I cry out in pain, knowing that she is hurting the blight despite Ganon's hold forcing me to feel it as well. The pain is worth it to know that she is beating him.

Mipha vanishes into the water once more, leaving barely a ripple in her wake.

But this time Waterblight doesn't react in frustrated rage.

I begin to worry as I feel the blight freeze, waiting for Mipha's next strike. The blight tenses, sending a deep, sinking horror crawling over my skin, and I get the awful feeling that something is about to go terribly wrong.

The little splash from behind me is the only thing announcing Mipha's attack, but for the tense and waiting Waterblight, it is enough.

Before I can process what's going on, the Waterblight has whipped around, a giant hand catching Mipha around the throat as she leaps from the water to strike.

Mipha is so taken aback that she loses her grip on her trident, and a sharp blow from the beast sends it clattering from her hands to sink into the depths. The Zora's hands fly to the grip that circles her throat, but my hold on her only tightens, choking off her air. The Zora begins to gasp, her feet kicking uselessly and her hands unable to claw me away as I hoist her into the air and slowly bring my spear up, leveling it at her struggling form.

Mipha's eyes light up with fear, her thrashing becoming more desperate as I fight the action from my end, but it is useless. I am merely a prisoner to the past – I can change nothing.

With one brutal thrust, Waterblight stabs Mipha through the stomach, the wicked back-hooks on the weapon tearing at her as my hand draws the spear back out, spilling blood from her body.

But the blight isn't anywhere near done.

My arm quickly rams the spear into Mipha's body, over and over, tearing gaping holes through her abdomen and chest as I choke her with my free hand. The assault leaves her flesh and insides to hang bloody and ragged from her body as she is gutted by my own hand.

I try to scream as I am forced to strike her again and again, my hand crushing the breath from her throat so that she cannot even sob in agony as I tear her to pieces with Waterblight's wicked spear.

It only takes a few seconds before the fight goes out of her and her hands swing at her side, limp. My grip loosens the slightest fraction as the water blooms a deep red beneath her and Mipha gulps in a shuddering breath that is gurgling with blood.

With gore dripping down her slender body and her glassy eyes dulling over rapidly in death, I hear her choke out a little sound.

Waterblight leans close to hear, still holding the Zora up by her throat, and I want to cry at the pain in her expression as she fights for her last few seconds of life.

"I'm….sorry….Link," Mipha gasps, voice weak and head starting to loll against my fist. "I…didn't…"

But she never makes it to the end of the sentence.

The last little wisp of breath leaves her body in a slow rasp, and she does not inhale again.

Waterblight drops her body in disgust, and I am forced to watch as she sinks into the depths, ribbons of blood spiraling in her wake. My dearest friend…nothing left but a vanishing dark spot beneath the water.

I wrench back against Ganon's hold so violently that I jerk myself back into the void. The malice still circles me tight, but it is nothing compared to the suffocating horror that I've just witnessed. I feel cold.

I feel _sick._

Tears flood my eyes as the agony and rage overcome me. I scream, struggling with all my might to break the power holding me captive, but the malice is as resilient as ever, coiling more tightly about me as it senses my resistance. The Master Sword is dragging merciless and _heavy_ in my grip, and I don't have the strength to even lift it an inch.

 _Why struggle, Hero? What more do you have?_ the beast begins to cackle.

His words only fuel my rage as I strain my body to the point of breaking, the malice sinking into my skin, severing flesh with the pressure. Blood begins to seep around the wisps of blackness, but I can't even feel it. The only thing I feel is a burning, all-consuming _rage_. I cry out again, pushing back against the malice, my very spirit struggling to break its hold, and slowly the smaller tendrils began to snap, frayed away where they slice deep into my arms and legs. One by one, I tear from their hold, my fingers clawing at the clinging darkness.

Before the malice can regroup, I rip my way free of its hold and charge at the cackling face in front of me, the Master Sword dragging in my hold. With my rage fueling my strength, I heft the sword up, slashing at the malice with the blade; its once bright shine down to a muted glow and getting fainter with each strike.

The face continues to laugh as I carve it apart, tearing it to pieces the same way it gleefully did to Mipha all those years ago, and dark, thick malice begins dripping from it. All too soon, tiredness overcomes my body and I feel my spirit stutter as the twisted face before me begins to cough in between his laughs, but there is a light spilling through the cracks, each cut revealing more and more as I carve away at Ganon, revealing his inner core.

 _I must thank you, Hero, for giving me such joy upon my death,_ he rasps, that awful smile still spread across his face and malice dripping like blood from between his teeth. _I will see you in the next life._

The face dissolves before me, collapsing into itself and fading into darkness as the light behind it is finally revealed. It is a sphere, bright and glowing with warmth and purity, and inside a figure floats, locked in a sleeping state with golden hair ebbing around her in a halo.

It is Zelda. Still a prisoner, even now.

In the past, I had been her appointed knight, the one she called upon to save the realm and fight Ganon. Now, after seeing my friends murdered and feeling it done with my own hands, I can't help but feel that I have failed. The peace that I brought to the kingdom, it is but a faint memory. The defeat of Ganon was simply his bid for time.

My hundred year sleep has cost the world everything I was supposed to protect.

I struggle to sheathe the Master Sword as I stagger toward her, my throat burning in sorrow.

I place my right hand on the sphere, my blood-splattered fingers splaying against the warm glow. My left hand finds its way to rest in a clenched fist over my chest, and I bow my head, addressing the princess that I have failed to protect for the past hundred years – my only remaining friend

"I'm sorry, Zelda," I whisper, my voice tight with tears and rough from my earlier screams. "I'm sorry for failing to get you out of this... You fought this darkness for one hundred years, and I couldn't save you from this undeserved fate." I look down and away, seeing nothing in the world but this little orb and endless darkness. "I couldn't save anyone back then. Daruk, Urbosa, Revali…Mipha. They all died trying to fight Ganon, and then they got their afterlife taken from them as well. I wish I could go back and save them all. I would give my life to seal Ganon away, just so they can live."

I open my mouth to continue, but a bright glow from the back of my hand stops me mid-breath. Just below my split knuckles, I can see three triangles forming, the one on the bottom right glowing brighter than the two.

 _I have heard your plea, Hero._

My head jerks up at the new voice, this one light and feminine, and I am shocked to find myself looking into the open eyes of Princess Zelda.

The eyes are not hers, however. Her deep green eyes have been replaced by a sharp white glow, something decidedly unearthly about them, but I don't feel the urge to shy away.

 _Do not fear, Hero,_ the voice says, light and sweet _. The princess is merely a vessel for my power. I am Hylia._

My breath catches in my throat, and I can feel my eyes go wide. Hylia – the _goddess_. Her statues stand in every village, and her blessings have helped my spirit to grow with every prayer I've offered. She was the reason I had been able to get as far as I did.

 _I must thank you for defeating the darkness that is Ganon, and I must apologize for the pain and suffering that it caused,_ she tells me gently. _Although, this unseen circumstance has presented an opportunity that hasn't been seen in over ten thousand years..._

The glowing triangle on my hand lifts from my skin, leaving the faint impression of the triforce behind, and I watch in wonder as it moves to hover brightly in front of me. A flash from within the orb draws my attention in time to see a second triangle free itself from Princess Zelda's right hand, and as it hovers toward me, I see a final piece appearing within the darkness of the beast, descending from above.

 _With you three here, the Triforce of Wisdom, Power, and Courage can once again unite to grant the wish of whoever touches it. Hero of Courage, that wish belongs to you._

The pieces come together in front of me, and with a near-blinding flash of light they fuse at the corners to form into one.

"…Triforce?" I ask, my voice a crackling, broken whisper.

 _Yes, Hero. This relic was created millennium ago by the Goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore, and I was tasked with its defense. Its original purpose was to give hope to the people of the realm during times of great suffering,_ she explained gently _. However, its power was misused, and caused more destruction than good. I was forced to divide the Triforce into three pieces, and hide it away where it would not cause any more harm than it already had. As time went on, the legend of the Triforce's power faded from the realm of knowledge, and it became nothing more than a symbol. But now the pieces are joined once again, and you, Hero, have been given a chance to right the wrong that has been done. Heed my warning, though. The Triforce was meant to be used by a mortal of unbreakable spirit. Any person whose spirit wavers for any reason will face grave consequences should they attempt to use this power._

"Can such a wish be used to change the past? To destroy Ganon one hundred years ago, before all of this?" I ask.

 _Unfortunately, no, Hero. Ganon is a being that is tied to the Triforce of Power, and thus cannot be destroyed by it._

"Then I wish to be sent back to the past" I say firmly. "To seal away Ganon myself."

 _Are you certain that this is your wish?_ she asks me, her tone more serious than before. _Consider it very carefully, as it cannot be changed once granted._

"It is," I reply without a second of hesitation. "This is my wish."

 _Very well, Hero. May the Goddesses' blessings light your way._

Before I can ask her what she means by that, she is gone, leaving me alone with Zelda's unconscious form. I only have a second to catch my breath, and then the Triforce begins to burn with a blinding, searing light.

* * *

 **A/N:** Don't worry, hope is coming. Eventually


	3. With This Wish

**A/N:** Hello all, I am not dead. Just super, super...super busy and I apologize for the long wait. I hope this chapter makes up for some of it at least. I will try not to let a month pass by without another upload.

I also want to acknowledge that the song is based on the "Song of Healing" vocal cover sang by Lizz Robinett and original lyrics from ColdFlameZero. It was too beautiful not to use.

Enjoy and please leave a review. (I like to know how I am doing.)

* * *

 **Chapter 3: With This Wish**

The blinding light surrounds my vision, blocking out the darkness. It is just me and Zelda, the princess still unconscious. A warm sensation envelopes my body as the soft singing of an unknown voice reaches my ears.

 _Day to night,  
Dark to light,  
Fall the sands of time._

There is a gentle tugging at my body, something drawing at me, and I feel myself surrounded by the hollow sensation of falling as the bright light of the Triforce gets further away and clocks begin to swirl around us.

 _Let the years,  
Like the gears,  
Of a clock unwind._

I feel the pull of time as it sucks me in, taking me back a hundred years. The equipment and items that I had in my possession fall away from me, dissolving into nothing as they are lost to a future that has yet to take place. It's oddly familiar, like a feeling of déjà vu, and yet something feels off, somehow… Something cold is radiating at my core.

 _In your mind,  
Walk through time,  
Back to better days._

I close my eyes, trying to call fond memories to mind as the song instructs me to, but when I try to think of my friends, the other Champions, my mind goes back to what I just witnessed at Ganon's hand, and the despairing worry that if I fail, it will all happen again. The pained look on everyone's faces haunts my thoughts.

 _Memories,  
Like a dream,  
Wash tears away_

What memories do I have that aren't related to the damn calamity that befell the kingdom? The few memories of my past life consist of sorrow, conflict, and unsteadiness. It's hard to envision what my life was like before. The darkness feels like it has always been there.

 _Like a star,  
In the sky,  
Darkness can't reach you_

The darkness has already done its damage to me. It showed me what I wish to have never known. Those images will be forever seared into my memory, the motions of bringing my friends' deaths poisoning my hands, but maybe if I can defeat Ganon, back before it truly happened, perhaps I can replace them with happiness.

 _Light the night,  
Joy is light,  
Til the new dawn_

Joy will only come if I am victorious. If I fail, then the aftermath will be worse than before. There will be no hundred-year slumber, there will only be death. For me, and for everyone I hold dear. The fear of that failure fills me with dread, the memory of my comrades' dying faces claw their way back to the surface of my thoughts.

 _Cast away,  
Your old fate,  
Let go your spite_

How can I let go of my desire to kill Ganon? That beast took everything from me and made everyone suffer…and for what purpose? Power? Pleasure? I can never let go of my hate until that monster is dead and gone. In fact, I feel it growing inside me. The hate and sorrow writhing at my core like it's alive. Why?

 _"Because I never left."_

Ganon's voice slithers like poison in my ears, leaving me feeling chilled, and the next few notes of the song ring out in jarring disharmony.

 _With this wish,  
I'll return you to the light_

 _*CRACK*_

My eyes snap open to find tendrils of malice seeping from my body, thrashing about and tearing at my Champion's Tunic, breaking the ties holding the Master Sword to my back. The clocks around me are grinding, the faces cracking and splintering, and the numbers are warping at odd angles as the tendrils smash into them.

 _Had I known all the pieces were together again, I would have taken this wish for myself… but I might still be able to work with your wish, Hero. I can prevent that blasted princess from ever trapping me those hundred years ago, and I can destroy Hyrule as I see fit._

The tendrils lunge towards Zelda, but I grab them by the roots just before they can reach, struggling with all my might to pull them back towards me. A few of the dark wisps manage to wrap themselves around the princess, and she stirs in her sleep as one of them tries to coil about her throat.

Before I can cry out to her, the surrounding light gives way to images of the past.

I see the day that the Calamity arrived, the last time all of the Champions were together at the base of Mt. Lanayru. The fear we all had on our faces as we departed to our intended locations; the Champions to their Divine Beasts and Zelda with me to the castle. There is a quick flash of white, and the new images show the sanctum, already in ruins as I make my way inside to fight Ganon. He is standing before me, still in his spiritual boar form as he circles the sanctum, corrupting everything within. The guardians in the sanctum are all glowing a sickly purple, lost to the corruption as they stand over the scorched bodies of the King and his guards. I was too late to save them then…but maybe I can try to save the rest.

For a second I see myself - both from above and through my own eyes - facing off against Ganon, my sword held high. Beside me I hear a soft sound from Zelda, the two of us still falling even as the scene around us seems to remain stationary. My hands are still strangling back the malice, keeping it from her as best I can. I cry her name as her green eyes flutter open in confusion, and she turns a worried gaze on me. She reels back with a gasp as she notices the malice, and it hurts to see such fright in her eyes as she looks at the one who was tasked with protecting her.

"Link, what is happening?" Zelda asks, fear poisoning her voice as she takes in the changing surroundings.

"I made a wish to prevent all this from happening. I need you to use your sealing power on the part of Ganon inside me," I shout to her over the howl of the air whipping past us. "It's our only shot to defeat him once and for all!"

"But I don't know what it will do to you…What if I seal you away as well?" Zelda pleads as she shies away from the tendrils of malice stretching out towards her.

"It will be fine, Zelda. Trust me. I will make everything right."

Although my words are courageous, I am afraid of what might happen.

What if she is correct, and then there is no hero to save Hyrule? More people would die, and the land itself would burn from the hate and corruption. I close my eyes as I feel my body beginning to conjoin with my past self, who is about to collide with the beast. The fear of failing, the chance of dying, and the adrenaline rush I had at that moment now coursing through my present body; on top of my witnessing of the Champions' deaths at what seemed like my own hands. My mind racing at what might happen, and my body wanting to give out from all the stress… it is all driving me to the edge. Without another moment to spare, I shout without thinking: "Do it now, damnit! Do you want to be known for failing to stop two Calamities?!"

The harshness of my voice startles Zelda for a second, and I balk as I see tears begin to well in her eyes. I regret my words immediately – this was not her fault, none of it was – but it cannot be helped. We are out of time. Oozing reluctance, Zelda stretches a hand toward me, focusing her power. Tiny sparks of light appear around her hands, dancing between her fingers but not condensing. She is struggling, and I can see the frustration building in her little frown.

"It's not working!" she yells to me over the wind.

I bite back a curse.

She needs to believe in herself, to believe that it will all be okay. She has the power, but her worry holds her back.

I need to be her pillar one more time.

"Zelda…..you can do it. I believe in you."

 _Don't kid yourself, Hero. Her power is too weak to do anything now._

"You can be the light that saves Hyrule."

 _She is nothing._

"You need to believe in yourself."

 _She will fail just as you have, and I will reign over your cold, dead corpses._

"You can do this. I need you to do this."

 _You two have already lost._

"You are stronger than your fear."

Zelda meets my gaze, eyes bright with determination as she focuses once again on her power. Her hand begins to glow with a bright, holy light.

 _NO! Not again! I will not be sealed again!_

I tighten my grip on the tendrils and yank them back as they began to rapidly thrash around in an attempt to reach Zelda, Ganon intent on destroying her. The fatigue of my current body is melding with that of my past self, fighting just below. The lines are beginning to thin between what was the past and what is the present, and the strain of it is making my hands shake.

I just hope that I will have enough energy to fight back Ganon when this wish is finally complete.

I look down to my destination, approaching faster as we get closer, and my stomach lurches in anticipation of the impact. I see the final collision between my past self and Ganon begin to play out - the injury I will receive from the hit serving as the catalyst that puts me in a hundred year slumber.

Not this time, though.

"I will see you on the other side, Zelda. We will make things right." I promise her with a small smile.

"Indeed we will, my knight." Zelda returns the smile as she releases her sealing power on the tendrils.

 _NOOOOOOOOOOO!_

Bit by bit the tendrils began to dissolve, breaking away from me and flaking into nothing like embers from a dying fire. The light envelopes everything in front of it. It feels warm at first as it encircles my body but as it seeps deeper it begins to burn at my core. The light follows me as I cross into the past, and the jarring slam of my bodies melding into one is enough to leave me numb, Ganon's past self crashing into me from the side at the same time.

I have half a second to scream in agony as my body is consumed in a searing pain, every cell of my being tearing itself apart and re-arranging back into place, and then everything is washed away in a bright light, flooding the sanctum and spilling out the castle windows.

Zelda has succeeded. The lingering shadow of Ganon that had trailed us here is sealed away.

Fatigue catches up in the next second, taking control of my overtaxed muscles and turning them to liquid beneath me, and as I slither to the ground in exhausted relief I let out the breath that feels like it's been caught in my lungs since I landed. Letting myself go limp on the ground, I allow myself a smile as my vision is filled with that beautiful light….

But for some reason, I still feel cold.


	4. Divergence

"Is that all you got, you overgrown Bokoblin sludge?" Daruk yells, raising his Boulder Breaker. "Come on! I still got fight in me!"

Tired and beaten, the Goron knows that he doesn't have much fight left in him. He's been taking some heavy hits, and his skin is beginning to give way to the blight's relentless assault, cracks spiderwebbing across the stone. He won't last much longer. His last ditch effort would be to try and grapple the beast, dragging it into the volcano's crater and killing it in the lava far below, even if it means giving his own life to do so.

With each passing moment that he grows weaker, it's looking more and more like his only option – to at least go out in a blaze of fire, and take the blight with him.

The Fireblight raises its sword in response to the Champion's taunt, accepting the challenge with a soul-curling shriek. Daruk yells out a war cry, charging the blight. All he has to do is withstand for long enough to grab it, and then throw the pair of them into the lava.

Time seems to slow as the ground between them narrows, all of Daruk's focus on the blight as it rears back, readying its attack. He realizes a few seconds too late that he will not reach it in time – that the blight's attack will finish him off long before he is close enough to strike – and his spirit sinks.

He has failed. He will die here, leaving the blight as the victor, and the Divine Beast will fall.

Yelling out his fury and despair, Daruk heaves his Boulder Breaker up, prepared to make it as close as he can before he is struck down.

Before the Fireblight can attack, however, the ground beneath them heaves and shudders, as if struck by some kind of shockwave. Fireblight's swing goes wide as the creature is taken by surprise, the glowing claymore embedding itself in the stonework of Vah Rudania. The Goron doesn't waste a second, whirling on the creature as soon as his footing is steady.

This is his chance.

Daruk reels his weapon back, intent on hitting the creature with enough force to knock it into the crater.

"Tell Ganon I said hi!"Daruk yells, using all his remaining strength to slam his Boulder Breaker into Fireblight. Daruk's weapon shatters in his hands from the force, and the creature staggers under the assault, but to his horror it doesn't go down. The blight's claymore slips loose from the stone, the creature retreating a few paces to gather itself once more, and Daruk is left staring down his death.

But then something strange happens.

In front of him the Fireblight twitches sharply, its body convulsing as it twists to the side. A second spasm hits the creature, and it writhes in the other direction, beginning to quake, as its limbs coil inward as if to hold itself together.

Daruk can only stare in shock as the blight starts to shudder.

"What in Hylia's name…?"

* * *

Urbosa is exhausted, the blowing sands biting at her wounds.

Even with all her training, the blight is a challenge. It's far too fast for her to land a solid hit, and while it hasn't been striking her with much force, the nicks and bruises are adding up. She's starting to slow down, and avoiding the deadly strikes is becoming much harder to do. It's only going to be so long until she slips up fatally.

Every swing of her sword and bolt of conjured lightning strike nothing but air, every block with her shield met with a blur of motion and another cut appearing on her already battered body. Urbosa knows she is losing this fight, but nevertheless she strikes her sword against her shield in a taunt, determined to continue until her last breath.

Thunderblight takes her challenge, and in a blur of motion it charges. She can barely keep track of the jerky, indistinct movements, her eyes feeling like they're weighted with lead as she tries to follow her enemy's impossibly fast movements, and when it finally comes to a stop it is barely a foot in front of her, sword poised to strike.

Urbosa raises her shield to block the incoming blow, but she barely gets it into place before she realizes that Thunderblight is gone.

For a moment she is frozen in shock – she can't see it anywhere. It is as if the creature has simply evaporated, leaving her alone inside Naboris.

But then she catches the glimmer of movement in the reflective surface of her shield.

Her eyes dart down in time to see the warped reflection of the creature behind her, its weapon glowing a dangerous blue, and in that instant she knows that she's failed. By the time she turns around, she will already be dead. There is no time for her to react.

She has failed Hyrule…she has failed Princess Zelda.

Ganon has won.

She tenses, bracing herself as Thunderblight goes for the killing blow. She is not a coward – she will not run from death.

Before the strike connects, however, a shockwave shudders through Naboris, causing Urbosa to stumble forward as loose sand is shaken from the rock overhead. A heap of her red hair tumbles to the ground over her shoulder, hacked off as Thunderblight's strike misses its intended target, and the beast looks around at the shuddering rocks in utter confusion.

Urbosa takes the opportunity while it's distracted to whirl around, her sword arcing through the air so fast that it _hums_ , and charges the creature with an upward slash and a cry of rage. Thunderblight howls in pain as her blade cleaves into the joint where its sword arm connects at the shoulder, the blow sending sparks flying into the air with a screech, and a second later the limb clatters to the ground, completely severed. The creature reels to the side, trying to get away from the Champion but too disoriented to properly use its speed.

"It seems fate has a different story for me, beast," she growls, stalking toward the retreating blight as it flounders to stay in the air. "This is your end. Sav'orq!"

Urbosa raises her sword, ready to deal the final blow, but she stops short when Thunderblight veers to the side, crashing into the ground as it begins to rapidly twitch, writhing around in the sand. Its severed arm is also flailing, thrashing across the floor as if possessed.

Urbosa isn't sure what the beast is up to, but takes a step back and raises her shield in anticipation, prepared to hold her ground until the end.

* * *

"You think you can control the skies better than a Rito... Ha! Your skills are but a mere shadow of what I can do," Revali boasts, facing down Windblight.

The fight had been going on for several minutes now, with neither side gaining or giving up ground. Despite Revali's claims, the two of them are fairly evenly matched. He can easily dodge the blasts from the beast, but conversely, Windblight is able to shoot down all of his arrows before they can strike their target.

They are trapped in a stalemate.

Revali dodges another blast from the blight, narrowing his eyes as he studies the creature for a weakness. It seems to be his equal in speed and dexterity, however it shows no signs of tiring, and he knows that if given enough time, he will eventually start to slow with exhaustion and make a mistake that will cost him this fight, and likely his life.

The Rito reaches for another arrow, eyes set on the creature's chestplate, but before he gets the chance to draw it, a hiss of steam comes from Windblight's back. With a sharp popping sound, four little pods detach from the blight's back, drifting to hover in the air around it, and Revali feels his heart sink.

 _Crap._

The Rito wheels back, twisting through the air as all of the pods turn to focus on him and begin shooting. He can feel the heat of the blasts as they skim by, searing the edges of his feathers, and he bites back a curse as he finds himself getting boxed in. The speeds that they are circling at leaves him little room or time to do anything besides dodge their attacks, and Revali makes a desperate grab for his arrows as he realizes that he is being pinned.

His shots all arc pitifully wide, and Windblight doesn't even have to dodge to avoid most of them. The pods are not deterred by his arrows, zipping in tighter and tighter circles as they shoot at him nonstop, and Revali doesn't realize how completely, _hopelessly_ outmatched he is until he reaches for another arrow and grabs only air.

His quiver is empty.

The realization distracts him, his head turning on pure instinct to look in shock, and that is all it takes for the pods to beat him.

One of the blasts hits him in the wing with a searing heat and a splintering crunch that laces white-hot agony through his shoulder and up into his head, leaving him to choke out a silent scream as he deadfalls a few feet before managing to catch an air current and keep himself aloft through the shock.

His feathers are all singed away, leaving bloody-burnt skin to glisten an angry red through his dark plumage, and Revali feels his stomach roll as horror and disgust combine with the unbelievable pain. He can feel the grate of bone with every flap of his wing, the heavy drag of air slamming into his injuries with every downstroke.

He is crippled.

There will be no more dodging away for him.

Revali turns to face Windblight once more, struggling to keep himself aloft.

He has lost. He has failed, and the cost of his failure is that Hyrule will be sentenced to destruction and suffering.

The Rito forces his mouth into a grimace of a smile, raising his voice to goad the creature one final time, however before he can speak, he feels something slam into him from behind and send him spiraling down onto Vah Medoh, wings askew. Revali manages to catch an updraft just before he slams into the stone, and glides the last few feet to land awkwardly in a stumbling run. The pods are less graceful, and Revali jumps in surprise when they crash into the stone next to him with a deafening clatter, each landing with a clang before bouncing harmlessly away.

Apparently whatever had hit him had knocked them all from the sky as well.

 _Some kind of shockwave…?_

Revali glances up at Windblight, prepared to throw himself to the side if he needs to dodge more attacks, however when he finally spots the blight, something seems to be wrong. The creature is spasming, twitching around as its limbs all flail wildly, uncoordinated, and Revali watches in wonder as it starts to convulse.

Windblight clutches at its head with a screech, clawing at the hair-like tufts in apparent agony, and a moment later Revali sees why.

There are little dark specks drifting away from it like embers, floating through the air, and as he looks more closely, he realizes that the blight's flesh is beginning to tear away. A sharp clatter draws his attention back to the stone beside him, and he can do nothing but watch in shock as the pods begin to rattle and shake, as if possessed by something. They are all moving, shaking themselves toward the edge of the platform. In the same direction as the drifting particles from Windblight.

Revali stares for a long moment in wonder, clutching his throbbing wing close to his chest.

"What did that boy do?" he whispers.

* * *

The chamber is filled with the rapid splashing of water and the howls of pain from the Waterblight.

Mipha has been using the murky water to her advantage, swimming circles around the beast at only the speed that a Zora can. She's been making strafing charges at the beast, appearing out of nowhere to strike and then disappearing into the depth once more, before it can retaliate. The blight is frustrated - she can hear Waterblight's echoing cries of rage and pain, muted through the water – and so far Mipha is holding her own against the creature.

However, this fight is taking too long.

Her strikes, while landing true, aren't doing enough damage to slow it, and the blight is quickly catching onto her pattern. Its last return strike had been dangerously close to clipping her.

She circles the creature once more, cloudy water rolling over her sleek body and dragging at the trident she holds, but she slows her pace warily when the blight suddenly goes quiet.

Through the smoky, marbled-glass surface of the water, she can see Waterblight standing frozen, peering into the pool. She is quick to dart behind the beast, lining up her trident to pierce its neck, hoping to incapacitate it.

While the blight is still frozen, she darts forward, launching herself from the water once more in a graceful arc, prepared to plunge her weapon into the beast.

She doesn't expect the creature to whirl around and catch her mid-air, its hand clamping around her throat. The breath is knocked from her at the sharp shock of pressure, and Mipha's grip on her trident falters, the weapon hitting the water with a splash and sinking to the depths.

Her instincts kick in almost immediately and she rakes her claws over the creature's arm as she begins to kick wildly, trying to land even a glancing blow so she can squirm free of its grip, but the blight's hold doesn't waver. The creature tightens its grip, choking off her air, and Mipha feels the fight slowly draining from her exhausted body at the lack of oxygen. She struggles for as long as she can, her lungs burning and her throat _throbbing_ with the strain, but eventually her body gives in. She can feel her consciousness starting to drift, the panic lacing into a complacency that strikes as terror somewhere in the back of her mind, but nothing is making much sense and her vision is slowly dimming to grey.

Mipha can do nothing but stare at the blight in fear as it hoists her higher in the air, drawing its wicked spear back with its free arm and lining it up with her midsection.

There is no question about what it plans to do next. Mipha tries to find the will to fight, to struggle, but the oxygen deprivation is making her weak and sluggish. She can do nothing.

 _I am sorry, Link_ , she thinks, blinking hard at the creature as she tries to retain what little focus she has left. _It seems I will not be able to spend more time with you. I hope, if anything….that you live._

She watches Waterblight tense, preparing to plunge the hooked tip of his spear through her, and closes her eyes in resignation.

This is the end.

She feels something hit her body like a punch, burning like fire at her side and sending her swaying through the air, and for a long moment she keeps her eyes shut, not daring to look down for fear of what she is about to see.

But then the blight's grip suddenly goes loose, and for the first time in far too long she is able to catch a breath of air, and her eyes snap open as her brain kicks back into full gear.

That's when she realizes that something has hit the both of them.

Waterblight is reeling in the air, flailing around as it tries to retain its balance. Mipha looks down in confusion to find that its blade has merely nicked her side.

Before she can truly figure out what is going on, the beast begins spasming wildly, tossing her across the room. She lands in the murky water with a resounding splash and thrashes her way back to the surface, coughing and desperately choking down air. Her neck feels crushed, and every inhale feels like sandpaper rubbing down her throat, but breathing has never felt so good.

As she bobs in the water, gasping for breath, she watches the blight screech in agony, clutching desperately at its head with clawed hands. Little particles of malice are tearing themselves from the creature's body, drifting into the air as they are pulled to one side of the chamber as if by a draft.

Mipha backs away as it begins to convulse, its very body shaking apart around it, being ripped away in jagged shreds. The creature is howling in pain, clutching at its chest and face as if to hold itself together against whatever unseen force is tearing it apart, but in the end there is nothing to stop it.

In a matter of moments, her opponent is nothing more than the faint echo of a scream and little wisps of shredded malice, being dragged off in the direction of one of the chamber's windows. She crosses to the opposite side of the divine beast, moving to peer out the window. In the distance, the castle is lit up with blazing lights, streaming out of every opening like a beacon.

It is not long until, Mipha finds herself left alone within Ruta, staring after the remains of the blight that nearly took her life.

Something has clearly happened, connected to whatever force had hit them a moment ago, and there is no question in Mipha's mind about who brought them this victory.

"Link," she whispers, a fond little smile tugging at her lips as she watches the remains of Waterblight being whisked away. "You did it."

* * *

 **A/N:** Hi everyone, it took me longer than I expected to publish this due to work and such but hey it got posted before another one month gap. That's got to count for something, right?

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed and please leave a review so I know how I am doing.


	5. Escape

I wake up in a daze, staring at the grey ceiling above me. Tiny sparks of light are slowly dissipating from the room, hovering through the air lazily until they snuff out. I force my stiff body up from the chill of the stonework floor to look around, spotting Princess Zelda sprawled on the tile a few feet away, unconscious once again but thankfully alive. The Guardians in the room seem to have powered down as well, collapsed in on themselves as they lie in heaps around the room. A few feet from where I sit, the Master Sword is loose on the stonework, tossed from its scabbard.

For a long moment I can do nothing but look around in stunned confusion.

 _Why am I still here?_

Barely a second later a thrill of cold terror hits me. If I wasn't sealed away, then _Ganon…_

I scramble get to my feet, staggering into a run toward the legendary blade as my heart pounds in my ears, desperate to arm myself. Ganon may still be around.

The sword, thankfully, is undamaged, the shimmering gleam of its blade glowing against the stone like a beacon, and I let out a little breath as I move to grab it up in relief.

I barely get to wrap my fingers around the handle, however, when a sharp burning sensation sears through my skin and shocks me into releasing my grip. I stagger a pace back, flexing my fingers as I stare down at the sword in shock, feeling almost betrayed.

Something is wrong.

There is nothing that looks different about the sword, so the fact that it felt like molten metal in my grip is something that I can't understand. I glance down to check my fingers, to see if my skin is damaged from the strange heat, and receive a rather nasty shock when my gaze lands on my hand.

The skin is a charred, pitch black all the way up my arm, with purple veins spider-webbing just below the surface. I look down in shock to find that my tunic is tattered, shredding away to expose the rest of my now darkened skin. Panicked, I find my reflection in the surface of the blade, hoping to get an idea of what I look like, and my heart catches hard in my throat as my gaze is met with two bright yellow eyes. The sulphureous glow of them is surrounded by a haze of messy, white, flowing hair framing a pitch-skinned face, and as my shaking hands reach up to coil in the filthy strands, it truly sinks in for the first time that _this is me_.

"What happened to me?!" I choke out in shock, staggering back from the sword - from the awful reflection's chilling stare - as I examine the rest of my body in a panic.

 _You did this to us, boy!_

I whip around at the echoing words, my hands shaking as I try to find where it came from, but there is nothing there. Aside from Princess Zelda and the downed guardians, I am alone in the room.

 _Foolish boy!_

The grating snarl of Ganon's voice sends chills up my spine, and I realize in sinking horror that it is not coming from the room at all, it is echoing in my mind.

 _We are now stuck in this form together! Trapped! But I will find a way to release myself from this new prison...and when I do, I will personally visit each and every one of your precious Champions and make them suffer more than what my Blights would have caused. You can mark my words._

Ganon's voice is furious, radiating hate up through my very core as it pulses against my insides like it is trying to get out. I know that I should feel concerned about his threats, however I find myself letting out a breath in giddy relief. If he is threatening to kill them, then the Champions are still alive, and Ganon's Blights must have fallen in battle.

My friends are safe.

Ganon rages inside of me, forcing his way up in a burning rush of hate, and I clench at my chest for a moment, trying to force him back. As I swallow hard to clear my throat of the choking rage, a new voice echoes in my head, wispy and feminine, and it pours down my spine like cool water as it forces the malice back, clearing my head.

 _Link!_

I blink in surprise, glancing around as I try to think through the dizzying confusion. The voice almost sounds familiar.

 _Run!_

Turning a circle, something glowing catches my eye, and I turn to find a light blue aura pulsing around the Master Sword.

 _Run, Link!_

Something tugs at the back of my mind, fluttering for a second along the edge of my thoughts, just out of reach. The voice…the glow…

And then it hits me.

I sink to my knees, clutching at my head and gasping in shock as it all comes rushing back and knocks the breath out of my lungs like a punch to the gut.

The Sword. The Sword is the voice speaking to me.

In the past, before my hundred year slumber, the spirit within the master sword would guide me. Protect me. And yet, though the entire ordeal in the future, I didn't hear so much as a whisper. It had remained silent.

There is a sudden grinding of gears behind me, the screech of metal and the whir of machinery, and cold fear chills me to the bone.

As quickly as my exhausted, trembling limbs will allow, I scramble to my feet and turn to figure out what is making the sound, already having a horrible idea of what I am going to see.

Sure enough, the two guardians are beginning to move.

The lights glowing along their bodies are shining a bright blue instead of the earlier corrupted purple, and for half a second I wonder if they have reverted to their original programming, set to destroy Ganon.

As I watch the guardians stagger to their feet, I become painfully aware that I currently cannot pick up my sword to fight them back. The whir of mechanics fills the chamber as they rotate, searching the area for an enemy that they will not find. For a second I dare to hope.

And then I see two wavering red dots appear on my chest.

My first instinct is to flee, but for a second I hesitate.

If Ganon is inside of me, would it not simply be better if I did die? Kill him once and for all, even if it would cost me my own life?

The guardians hum a dangerous tone as they charge up, and I slowly spread my arms, giving them a clear shot at my chest.

I am not going to let Ganon escape again.

It is time to end it.

 _Link! RUN! You MUST live! Run to the forest!_

I move on instinct alone as the sword's voice echoes sharply in my thoughts, leaping to the side just in time to dodge the two searing lasers that had been aimed at my chest. I hit the ground in an awkward roll, staggering to my feet as I set off in a run along the edge of the room, hearing the metallic clanks of the guardian's clawed limbs skittering on the stone as they follow my every move.

I must live?

I am given no time to wonder what the sword means by that, dodging behind broken pillars and rubble as the guardians charge up and take another shot at me. I feel the sting of splintering stone as the lasers hit the debris and it explodes into dust around me, sending me scampering for cover once again.

I run for the door leading out of the throne room, only to find my path blocked by one of the guardians, the eye in the center of its body glowing white hot for a second before I am left sprawling out of the way just in time to dodge another laser.

The guardians are quick to close in, working together to herd me away from the door, to pin me in a corner where I cannot dodge their bladed claws and their searing lasers, and I can feel a desperate panic closing around my throat like a vice. The guardians have closed me off from the door, and there is no way to get around them. I am unarmed and outnumbered.

The sword pulses a worried glow from the floor, the whispering repeat of "run! escape!" echoing in my thoughts in time to my frantic heartbeat as the guardians close in.

I have to get out of here.

On the far side of the room my eye catches sight of the enormous stained glass window, overlooking the lands of Hyrule. The rays of the setting sun are catching it at an angle, casting a glare of light in mottled colors across the blood-stained floor, and for a second my panic abates.

There is another way out.

Taking a deep breath and hoping for the best, I run for the staircase leading to the central window by the throne. As I reach the top, the other guardian scurries up the wall and onto the throne, its eye glowing as it charges up to fire. I dodge to the right as the laser passes just beside me, destroying the staircase leading to the ground.

No place but up, now.

I run up the stairs leading to the second tier of the sanctum, hoping to reach the windows before my exit is cut off. Behind me the guardians are closing in, the hum of their charging weapons sending goose-bumps prickling across my skin as the adrenaline rush charges my muscles with so much energy that they shake.

The roof stretches out before me on the other side of the window, a straight and narrow peak that falls away sharply on both sides and ends in an intricate stone carving that overlooks a drop.

The distance closes sharply, my pulse hammering in my head, and once I am close enough to make the jump I leap for it, my body smashing through the glass with a splintering shock.

I feel the shards tearing at my skin as the window gives way and I roll onto the roof top, tumbling haphazardly sideways down the slanted surface. I manage to slow my fall and regain my footing before I reach the edge, skidding to a stop barely a foot from the overhang. However, I only have a second to get my bearings before I find another red light shining on my chest and am forced to fling myself to the side.

With a splintering crunch, the roof behind me explodes into splinters as the guardian's beam punches through it, and I scramble back up toward the peak of the roof as quickly as I can manage.

Once I reach the top, I run toward the stone carving at the edge of the roof, my eyes already searching for a point to launch myself from. A second later I leap from the edge, my hand flying on instinct to my paraglider, but when I whip it open above my head, there is no familiar catch of air to slow my fall.

The cloth has all been shredded.

I have barely a moment to panic before I manage to turn my eyes down, finding myself plummeting toward the smooth rocks that line the edge of a pond below. As I fall, my instincts kick in, and I angle my body just enough for the wind drag to nudge me the extra few inches I need to land in the pool and not on the stone.

The water is an icy shock that hits my chest with the force of a punch, leaving me stunned and winded, floating like a ragdoll in the water. For a moment I am lost, blinking at the murky water around me as my brain tries to catch up to what's just happened, but the gleam of red through the water is enough to snap me back to my senses. I flail my way backwards as a beam of light pierces into the pond, and I feel the temperature rise sharply, bubbles starting to form as the water begins to flash-boil around the guardian's laser. I manage to drag myself from the pond just as the heat starts to get uncomfortable, slipping on the wet rocks as I try to slog my way onto land. The clank and shift of metal behind me draws my attention, and I risk a glance over my shoulder as I run. There are three guardians on the ground, skittering towards me as quickly as their limbs will allow, two more red sighting dots flashing after me from the roof, where the guardians from the King's chamber have climbed out the window after me. Hovering in the air above me is another guardian, a skywatcher, sighting me from the sky.

My next step lands on air, and my attention whips back forward as I tumble into nothing. A cry of surprise catches hard in my throat I find myself plummeting once more, and that is as much of a breath as I get before I hit water again.

By the time I resurface the current has dragged me downriver, and I come up spluttering only to find another cluster of red dots centering themselves on my chest.

I dive beneath the water, hoping to lose them, but the guardians are not fooled. Two of the beams go wide, hitting the cliff with a splintering crack and sending shards of rock plunging into the river around me, but one laser clips so close that my skin blisters with the heat of it, even tempered by the water. My scream of shocked pain leaves my mouth as a cloud of bubbles, and all I can do is kick myself back from the rapidly boiling water as it scalds my skin.

I have barely a second to feel the drag of the current get stronger, whipping me back and away, and then just as fast I am flung into the air and left plummeting toward the icy channel far below.

A waterfall.

I hit the river but my descent does not slow, the gallons of water pouring from above pounding me deeper into the dark current with a stunning force. It takes all my willpower to force my limbs to begin moving, and I manage to claw my way to the surface in time to take a gasp of breath that barely starts to soothe my burning lungs before the swirling water drags me under once more.

Once again I am poured over the edge of a cliff, helpless against the immeasurable force of the river. Below me a rock bridge stretches barely a foot from the pounding falls, and my heart rockets up into my throat in fear as I miss it by barely a hair. I hit the water once more, my breath crushed from my lungs, and the current drags me deep, pulling me beneath the stone archway and spitting me out over another cliff before I even get a chance to get my bearings.

This waterfall is much smaller than the previous two, but my body is desperate for air, and when I surface for a breath I am far too close to the cascade; the turbulence is kicking up waves.

I catch an inhale of water that chokes me, drowns my lungs and burns my senses like fire as I go under once more, and the next time I flail to the surface it is all I can do to hack up mouthfuls of water in an attempt to clear enough room in my chest for _air_.

I am left drifting for a moment, gasping for breath and kept moving by sheer adrenaline alone as I blink water from my eyes.

I immediately look up the cliff that I'd just been washed down, searching for my pursuers, but there are no guardians in sight. The respite at that is near palpable, my body sagging in relief, but I don't dare stay in one place for long, lest they come find me again.

I glance around, trying to get my bearings as the current tugs me further from the castle and into open water. In the distance I can see the shoreline, on the other side of the water, and beyond that a forest sprouts from the land - the one I was told to run to.

I begin the long swim across Hyrule Castle's moat, feeling every fall I've taken, every fight I've just barely managed to scrape my way through...the only thing keeping me going at this point is the hope that the Great Deku Tree has answers as to _what the hell just happened_.

Each stroke of my leaden arms through the cold water burns like fire, my muscles trembling and threatening to give out on me at any second. It would be so easy to just give up and let myself sink to the bottom of the moat, take a breath of water and finish what the guardians had accidentally started, but the sword wanted me to live. There must be a reason.

For the longest time the shore doesn't seem to be getting any closer, and I have nothing in my mind save for the repeated command to stroke and the harsh wheeze of my breath with every movement. I am beyond spent.

Eventually the shoreline does get nearer, and the soul-deep relief when my foot finally scrapes against dirt is a mercy of the greatest caliber. By Hylia's grace, I have made it.

Despite all my limbs visibly trembling with exhaustion, I manage to stagger my way out of the water. I make it exactly two steps onto dry land before I promptly collapse against the dirt, boneless, and can move no further.

For a long while all I can do is lie on the lake shore, my chest heaving for breath. It takes me until the sun has dipped down behind the horizon to finally drag enough of my willpower together to lift my head from the sand, my hair hanging lank and matted in my eyes. I cannot stay here for long – it is far too dangerous.

Clawing the ratty strands from my eyes, I roll onto my back, staring for a long moment at the rapidly darkening sky as I try to gather my resolve.

Behind me the lakeshore climbs into a sparsely forested hill, the trees nothing but black, jagged peaks against a slightly paler sky. My destination is at the top – the Lost Woods.

Hoping to spare my exhausted body the climb, I grope for my Sheikah Slate. There is a teleportation pad that I can use.

However, my hand finds nothing at my hip save for the remains of my tattered clothing.

The slate is gone.

Letting out a little growl of miserable frustration, I turn over on to my stomach and force my shaking body up onto my hands and knees.

I must have dropped the tablet somewhere between my fight with Ganon and subsequent fall through time, or else possibly when the waterfalls took me. Either way, it is lost to me, and I am in no position to try searching for it. Going back now would be suicide.

It takes me three tries to drag myself to my feet, and even then I stagger as the soggy ground gives way beneath my weight.

I have barely regained my balance when I hear a dark chuckle echoing in my head.

 _Congratulations, Hero. You managed to escape the place you just saved._

It is Ganon. He is still with me.

 _In all my millennia of living, I don't think I've ever seen the Hero congratulated with fire and pain..._

Growling in frustration and gritting my teeth against the sound of his voice, I begin to claw my way up the hill, determined to ignore him and vaguely hoping that he will choke on his own tongue.

The beast merely cackles at my misfortune.

 _Maybe next they will send your little Champions to come track you down,_ he muses. _Oh, how rich that would be, to be hunted down by those you risked your life to save._

"Shut up," I snarl, grabbing at the bare rock as I stagger in exhaustion, trying to keep myself balanced.

I don't want to think about the possibility that Urbosa or Revali or any of the champions will be sent after me. I wouldn't be able to fight them. Not after watching them all die at my hands through Ganon's awful memories.

The thought at raising a hand against Mipha - even to defend my own life - makes me feel ill.

Thankfully the beast's voice falls silent after that, and for the rest of the climb I am left to my worries.

The sky is well and truly dark by the time I crest the top of the hill, the stars hidden behind rolling clouds that threaten a lightning storm as they drift ominously overhead. Bracing my hands on my knees to balance myself, I scan my surroundings.

Before me is Lake Mekar, the water looking thick and black as it reflects the starless sky. Rising from the center is a ring of sheer cliffs, their protected tops covered in dense forest as mist spills over the edges like waterfalls.

There is no way that I will be able to make another swim in my current condition, and certainly not if I have to scale the bare rock afterwards to get to the top. My only option is to go through the entrance to the east.

Taking a deep breath to steel myself, I force myself upright and begin walking onward once more.

The long hike across the Rauru Hillside feels far easier than dragging myself from the lakeshore - the land is much flatter now than what I remembered it to be in the future, the top of the distant hills more whole, as if it were some large sandcastle and someone had simply kicked it over on their way by, scattering it across the terrain in chunks.

The difference becomes more apparent as I come across a number of watch towers surrounding a structure that I don't remember existing in the future. A large, wooden wall bars off a number of structures within, the roofs just barely peeking above the ramparts. There are people in uniform patrolling the walls, their hands resting lightly on the pommels of their sheathed swords, ready to draw at the first sign of trouble. The wall is splintered away in some areas, the wood scorched a shining, charred black as if they had been recently set ablaze. Off to the side, I can see a few guardians broken to pieces, weapons sticking out of them at all angles.

There had been a fight here.

As I skirt the edge of the fort I am hit by a sudden shock of memory, the sight of the structure rattling some long-forgotten memory to the forefront of my mind.

I recall training to become a knight, flickering memories from the countless months I spent pushing myself beyond my limits before I found the Master Sword. I remember being there in the days when the Sheikah assembled the first guardian and made it run, testing its weapon in the forest just to see what it was capable of.

I remembered watching the terrifying power displayed on that day, and hoping that it would not be turned against us.

How naïve I was.

My senses snap back to the present as I hear the crunch of footsteps and realize that a patrol of soldiers is coming my way. I scramble back down the hill, ducking under a rocky outcropping and hoping that my now-darkened skin will help me to blend into the shadowy surroundings. Above me, I can hear the soldiers' footsteps pacing closer before coming to a stop, close enough to the edge that some loose dirt is sent spilling from above.

"I swear, I saw something up here."

"You're just imagining it, Kal. We're all still on edge from the fight, that's all. Come on, let's go back. It looks like it's about to rain, and I would like to have the barracks rebuilt so I have a roof to hide under."

I listen closely, hardly daring to breathe as the soft crunch of their footsteps starts to move away.

Once I can no longer hear the guards, I dare to move from my hiding spot. Keeping my head low, I creep along the edge of the outcropping, hoping that the shadows will hide me. Right now I look rather like a monster, and in my current state I cannot take another fight.

As the soldier had said, a light rain starts up, speckling the ground around me as I edge my way toward the fort. It is not bad yet, but by the looks of the storm clouds overhead, it is only going to go downhill from here. I need to hurry.

I dare to peek up over the edge of the outcropping, casting my gaze around for a moment until I spot the pair of guards reentering the camp, and I give them until the gate swings closed behind them before I dare to make a run for it.

The fort is taking up most of the strip of land in my way, and I feel a curl of frustration when I realize that I will have to sneak around it in order to get to the road. My options are limited – go South, where most of their focus will likely be following the attack that has clearly taken place, or go North, along the cliff between the Lake and the wall.

Keeping my head low and hoping that the dark will provide me some cover, I take a second and rub some of the quickly forming mud into my hair to darken it up before slinking up toward the lake, all of my senses on high alert.

Once I am close I press myself right up against the wall, hoping that the guards on patrol will not think to look straight down for enemies as the sound of hammering and shouts echo from within. I cautiously make my way along the wall, careful not to make a sound, until I hit a dead end at a sheer rock face.

I tilt my head back slowly, judging the distance that I will have to climb as I feel the rain streaming over my face. The storm has gotten worse.

With a sigh, I glance back at the fort, scanning for any guards that may be keeping watch. To my luck, it seems that most of their patrols are currently being focused on the front of the camp while the remaining soldiers are busy repairing the interior. Hoping that their attention will remain elsewhere, I grab hold of the cliff and begin to climb.

My body is trembling with exhaustion, making it far more difficult than usual to find my footing and slowly creep up the cliff. Every movement is met with both mental and physical resistance, the stone slick with rainwater beneath my numb fingers, and I can feel the little temptation to just let myself slither back to the base of the cliff and find somewhere secluded to curl up and rest. However, Ganon is within me, and the amusement I can feel bubbling up from him at my suffering is driving me onward despite the fatigue.

About half way up the cliff the storm clouds overhead really open up, and with a crack of thunder it begins to _pour_. Instantly, my grip on the stone goes from tentative to nonexistent, and my next step slips clear off the rock. I barely manage to choke back a cry as I find myself falling, the stone tearing at my hands as I try to slow my fall, and I skid to a stop a few feet down, my heart pounding in my ears deafeningly.

I take a moment to regroup, rubbing my face on what's left from my sleeve as the rain runs down my face, washing the mud from my hair into my eyes. I am slowly losing my cover - the shock white of my hair against the ruddy brown of the cliff will be easy to spot.

It is barely a moment later that I hear shouting from behind me.

"Monster! To arms! Demon on the cliff!"

A second later the blaring tone of a horn echoes across the landscape, and the shuffling of armor accompanies the mad rush of the guards to my side of the fort.

Damnit.

I quickly try to scramble my way up the cliff, clutching desperately at the slick stone as I try to haul myself toward the top, but between the rain and the dark it isn't long before I find myself sliding down once again. The splintering clack of an arrow hitting the stone above my head has my head whipping around to look over my shoulder, and I only have a second to register that they are lining archers up along the wall before they all draw their bows and I am sent scrambling once more.

Taking long leaps up the cliff, I try my best to stay ahead of the arrows as I hear them start to hit the stone around me, a few of them close enough to clip my arms or legs as I scramble against the rain-soaked cliff face. The soldiers get off two full volleys before one of them manages to truly hit me, and I let out a cry of pain as I feel the fiery punch of the arrowhead piercing my upper arm. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I dare to release my hold on the cliff for long enough to snap the feathered end of the shaft off of the arrow, leaving the wood lodged in place to stem the flow of blood. Every movement sends searing pain threading up into my shoulder, but it is all but drowned out in the panicked need to _escape_. Fortunately, I manage to crest the top of the cliff before they can hit me again, and I stumble into a run as the soldier's arrows whistle past me, close enough for me to feel the wind drag before they thump into the grass. I duck onto the flat land, hoping to get out of range of the volley, but even there I find no respite.

A patrol of soldiers is running along the edge of the cliff, drawing their swords with a cry as they charge toward me.

I turn tail and take off towards the entrance of the Woods, dodging the scattered arrows from the fort and trying to stay ahead of the incoming infantry. The cliff edge ends in a patch of flat land, and I scramble down to it, running as fast as my legs will carry me toward the road. From there I take a sharp left turn and sprint into the foggy entrance of the Lost Woods, hoping that I will lose my pursuers in the mist. I don't dare slow my pace as I run through the ruins, trying to follow the path of the woods by instinct and memory alone. Behind me the clanking of armor is echoing in my steps, and follows me until I reach the final torch marker. From there I can truly vanish.

I fly past the torches at a full run, plunging into the fog of the trees, and don't slow my pace until I can no longer see the fire behind me. The clanking of armor is gone when I pause to listen, and for a long moment I am left with the sound of the breeze howling lowly through the trees.

Figuring that I am safely away from my pursuers, I break off a few nearby tree branches and dare to start a small campfire, turning one of the branches into a torch as I let the heat and warmth chase some of the clinging water from my body.

For some reason, the rain never seems to penetrate these woods.

Once my torch is ready, I light it in the fire and kick some dirt over the flames to put it out, using the floating embers from the torch to guide my way.

After a few minutes of walking the fog begins to dissipate, and I find myself approaching a path that weaves down between two cliffs.

I am nearly there.

I force myself the last few yards through the hollow log acting as an entrance, and as I step out into a lush green forest, I am filled with an immense relief.

This place has always held some mystical wonder to me, and even now I am awed a little to find myself in the magical trees once more. As I walk through, I can see the rain falling like crystal through the darkened clearing, and I hear a booming voice greet my approach.

"Who is there?"

For a long moment I don't dare answer, afraid of what he will think when he sees me – when he sees what I've become – but the tree beckons me on.

"I sense a great conflict in you. Come forth and tell me your troubles."

I creep out of the shadows, stepping into the rainy moonlight, and dare to glance up at the towering form before me.

"It is I, Deku Tree...it is Link."

"My, my, young hero...tell me what fate has befallen you."

 **End of Introduction**

* * *

 **A/N:** Wow I expected to be here a lot sooner, but the transfer of imagery to paper is hard. I hope everyone is enjoying this little adventure because there is more to come. But for now, leave a review telling me what you like so far and I will see you all next time.

(P.S. Try to re-trace the path Link takes in this story in-game. Part of the actions that took place actually happened to me in game when scouting my route.)


	6. At What Cost

Zelda wakes up looking at the grey ceiling of the sanctum. The moon's light is just beginning to shine into the room from the window above, lighting everything in a hazy glow. She slowly pushes herself up onto her elbows, finding herself lying by the throne on a floor mat, with a thin blanket draped over her. Around her town folk and guards are milling about the sanctum, speaking in quiet voices. Off in the distance, there is the rolling rumble of thunder.

"Princess, it's good to see you are alright!"

Zelda turns to see who spoke, spotting a rather roughed-up looking guard running up the stairs toward her. The man's cry is enough to hush the sanctum, every eye turning to fall on her in wait.

"What has happened here?" she asks, her voice rasping like sandpaper in her throat.

Her mouth feels painfully dry.

"The last time we saw you, you were accompanying the Champion into the castle. Shortly after, there was a bright light, and all of the guardians deactivated. We thought that the battle was over, but then there were a number of explosions from inside, so we rushed up to the castle as fast as we could. By the time we arrived…you were the only one here."

"What of my father?" she pleads.

The soldier's face falls into a stony mask, and Zelda feels her stomach cinch with nerves as the man looks down into the main room and extends his arm, pointing to tapestry-covered shape on the ground.

A human shape.

For a horrible moment her brain refuses to comprehend, and she blinks down at the tapestry, a question forming in her throat. Something dumb like "was he injured?"

And then the realization sinks in, chilling her like ice.

Tears are quick to well up in her eyes, blurring her vision into smudged colors and tightening in her throat like a vice as she stares at the covered body, feeling cold. Her father is dead. She had failed him when he needed her the most, and even now, returning from a hundred years in the future, she still hadn't been in time to save him.

For a long moment all she can do is fight against the crushing tide of guilt that threatens to consume her, but then Zelda remembers the one other person who is conspicuously absent.

"What of the Hylian Champion?" she asks, her voice crackling with emotion as she finally manages to tear her eyes from her father's shrouded corpse. "Where is Link?"

Again the soldier drops his gaze, motioning for a second man to bring something up to where she is still lying on the floor. The soldier sets a cloth-wrapped bundle at her side and slowly folds the edges back, revealing the Sheikah slate and a few scraps of shredded cloth in a familiar shade of blue. The slate is dull and unresponsive, a number of deep fractures running across its surface and the unearthly life within it now silent. The tattered cloth is stained with blood.

"These were found by the sword," the guard explains softly, almost apologetically. He waves a hand over the edge of the platform, and Zelda pushes herself up a bit more to see. Far below, the legendary sword is lying on the stone, two soldiers standing guard over it.

Seeing the Master Sword cast on the ground like some common blade sends a visceral reaction through her body, an indescribable sense of _wrong_ , that has her forcing herself to her feet, arms and legs trembling to support her weight.

"We would have moved it," the guard says apologetically, offering her a hand up as she staggers to her feet. "But no one here was able to lift the blade."

Zelda stumbles past him, making her way down the rubble-strewn stairs as fast as she can. As she reaches the bottom, the gathered townsfolk begin to shift back, moving out of the way to give her a clear path to the sword.

Zelda stops barely a pace from the blade, her eyes tracing over the weapon. It is in pristine condition – no damage, no scratches, not so much as a splatter of blood to indicate that there had been a fight.

She lowers herself to a knee beside the sword, a hand reached out tentatively, but for a long moment she simply hovers, not daring to touch.

She had been hoping to hear the spirit of the sword. She had been hoping for some sign or message that Link was safe, that he was okay.

That he had somehow made it out alive.

But the sword is silent.

Zelda swallows hard, letting her trembling hand fall to the hilt of the weapon, delicate fingers curling around the decorative cord that wraps the handle, and lifts the sword into her lap.

The blade's silence only confirms the icy fear that is settling in her stomach and pinching at her temples like fire.

Link is gone.

She has sealed him away with Ganon.

They are both well and truly _gone_.

In the distance, there is a loud shriek and the sound of propellers.

Still on edge from the fight and not knowing what to expect, the guards are quick to grab their gear and run to block the main entrance. Zelda, however, is familiar with the mechanical sounds, and stands, cradling the Master Sword in her hands.

Perhaps this time she has not lost all of the Champions as well.

She simply stares back at her empty reflection in the sheen of the Master Sword's blade.

A moment later the sound of voices reach her ears, the tones achingly familiar and jovial with victory, and the sound of a familiar laugh booming over the others brings some slight feel of relief.

"…really, scare half these poor people to death…!"

"Not my fault, I couldn't exactly fly here on my own."

"The rest of us simply _walked._ "

"Look, I got here quick and I didn't damage anything in the process. What more do you want from me?"

"I don't know, perhaps _competence_?"

The sound of her friend's voices after so many long centuries apart pokes holes in the iron grip she's been struggling to keep over her emotions, and she sees tears flood the eyes of her reflection a second before the sight vanishes in a watery blur of colors.

They are okay. The Champions are okay. She has not lost everything.

Zelda doesn't move as the guards call out that someone is coming, only giving the slightest nod of her head to indicate that they are friends when they ask her if they should allow them into the sanctum.

Outside, the rain begins to fall with a hiss, splattering across the stone of the castle and saturating it in dark, vibrant color. Through the entryway, she can make out the vaguely familiar shadows of her friends – all four of them – walking in a line towards her, smiling and laughing and bantering with one another, just as she remembers.

Outside the rain begins to pick up, shifting from a light shower into a full storm.

With her bottom lip trembling, Zelda takes a tentative step toward the Champions as they enter the sanctum, tears rolling down her cheeks. From here she can see the wounds that everyone sustained in their fights.

Daruk's entire midsection and left shoulder are wrapped up in cloth, the fabric poorly concealing the cracks that run along his body. On his back, only the hilt of his Boulder Breaker remains, the rest of the weapon shattered off in jagged fragments.

Urbosa, who has seemingly refused bandages, is covered head to toe in tiny scratches, the once-long hair that adorned her head now bundled up in a short ponytail, the tips blackened by something that Zelda cannot discern.

Revali's wing is tucked into a makeshift sling, and there are several small bandages wound about his body. In some places, his navy blue feathers now glisten in a mix of dark blues, most likely dyed dark by blood. Zelda guesses from the extent of his injuries that he had to fly Vah Medoh over in order to join the others.

Mipha walks a pace behind Daruk and Urbosa, a gentle smile on her lips and her wet scales shimmering from the rain. She doesn't look like she has any wounds at all, however Zelda can just make out the pale etch of a scar on her side, as well as fading bruises from what looks like blood-darkened scales around her neck. The Zora likely healed herself before heading to join the others. Her trident is no longer on her person, however Mipha is carrying something on her back, bundled carefully up in a cloth marked with the Zora Royal seal.

Seeing her friends again brings mixed pain and relief, and Zelda finds that she cannot speak for the emotion choking her throat closed.

The Champions offer her greeting, expressing how glad they are to see her unharmed after all that happened, but she doesn't hear any of it. For a long moment, the only sound is her heart thudding in her ears, the blood rushing through her veins, and her breath rasping unevenly in her throat.

Mipha's gentle question is the first one to break through the static, jarring the world back into focus.

"Princess…Where is Link?"

The Zora princess is looking up at her with a tentative hope shining in her amber eyes, and Zelda swallows hard, her throat burning.

"Yeah, where is the little guy?" Daruk grins. "We got to congratulate him on defeating Ganon and saving our hides. He must have one hell of a story to tell."

"Again, we have no proof that he had anything to do with those beast disappearing on us," Revali scoffs, but that doesn't stop the Rito from looking around for the Hylian in question.

"Oh, give it a rest, Revali. You are just upset that you got your butt handed to you. Though you should be grateful, it could have been worse for us," Urbosa scolds lightly before turning to Zelda with a gentle smile. "So, Princess, where is the hero?"

Zelda can't speak, her throat burning with pressure as her vision floods once more. She clutches the Master Sword to her chest and curls into herself as tears stream over her cheeks, leaving little dark circles on the stone where they drip from her jaw.

 _He's gone._

The Champions watch her in concern for a long moment, then scan the room, as if looking for the answer that Zelda is unable to give. When they see the downtrodden faces of the guards and townsfolk, however, it doesn't take them long to understand.

"Oh."

Daruk's expression falls from happiness into defeat as he realizes he won't get the chance to congratulate his brother-in-arms for the victory that he won them all. Revali's expression shifts through shock and into sadness, looking away as he mumbles something indistinct about how he never thought that Link would sacrifice himself to stop Ganon.

Mipha's expression is frozen in a horrified shock, her eyes wide and her lips parted slightly, her chest heaving with the emotion that she is trying to suppress. She looks like she wants to scream her heart out, and Zelda can completely understand the crushing hopelessness that she must be trying to register.

Urbosa is the first one to collect herself and move, and Zelda lets her forehead rest against the older woman's shoulder as she is drawn into a gentle hug, unable to stop the jarring sobs that shake her body in the Champion's hold. Zelda feels the Gerudo move, and a moment later Mipha is pressed in beside her, Urbosa's other arm holding the Zora princess close as Mipha clings to the larger champion's bicep with trembling hands, her eyes haunted.

There is a jarring thump as Daruk sits down hard, his head cradled in his hands as he shakes it back and forth slowly in shock.

"He can't be gone," Mipha whispers, _pleads_ , and Zelda wants to share that denial-laced hope with her, but a second later Urbosa is shaking her head.

"He's gone, dears. And there's nothing we can do about it except for honor his sacrifice."

Zelda scrunches her eyes closed in misery, feeling the chill of tears soaking her face.

Tomorrow they will honor Link.

Tomorrow she will lead the Champions in returning the Master Sword to the Lost Woods.

But for tonight, they will all stand vigil to mourn the death of her father, the King, and their dear friend…

Link who saved Hyrule.

* * *

I am sooooo sorry for the delay. I had a lot of things happen in the past few weeks that prevented me from finishing the editing of this chapter. Please stick around as the next chapter will interest those who like emotional character development.

And as always, please leave a review letting me know what you think of it.


	7. In the Woods

**A/N:** Hey guys, sorry for the false alarm this is just an edit update. Crankymcgranky actually noticed a detail that I thought I removed in final editing of Chapter 5. In the end, silly me forgot to remove it (I am talking about the arrow that pierced Link's arm) and it just looks like I ignored the entire thing. Now don't worry I didn't really change any details or direction but instead of removing it, I wanted to acknowledge it here and maybe I can use it later.

I will give you some good news with this though. I am still working on this story and I hope to get Chapter 8 out this weekend so you do have something to look forward to. Again I apologize for the false alarm and thank you Cranky for pointing out that mistake.

* * *

"Goodness, my boy…that seems like quite the predicament that you've gotten yourself into."

I nod sullenly, trying hard not to look at the unnatural color of my flesh as my fingers play absently with what remains of my shredded tunic, the slow, thick slide of dark blood still running down my pierced arm.

Above me the Deku tree seems thoughtful as the rain trickles down his face, and I let out a long breath in anticipation as I wait for some much-needed answers.

"I suppose that naturally you will have some questions, lad, although I suspect that we may not get much time to answer them. What troubles you the most?"

The words feel almost cruel, but I have no time for frustration. I need answers.

"Why did the spirit of the sword say that I must live?"

That particular question has been haunting me ever since my narrow escape from the palace. If my body is currently serving as a prison for Ganon, would it not be far simpler to end my life, and the foul creature's along with it?

"From what you told me, the spirit only contacted you when you tried to take your life. I can only assume that even though your lives are connected, his life isn't connected to yours directly. Your death might bring his release into the world, and without a hero…Hyrule will undoubtedly fall."

"Is there a way to end this? To remove him from my body and banish him forever?"

"Sadly, on this topic, my knowledge is scarce. I have not seen something like this even in my long life. This would be a matter for the Goddesses. As you have told me, you were able to access the power of the Triforce to accomplish your trip back in time. Perhaps they will be able to help you where I have failed?"

"You think I should seek out the Goddesses themselves?"

"If they will speak to you."

I nod slowly, taking a slow breath as I visualize my path.

There is a spring to the Goddess of Wisdom not too far away - that would be a good place to start. I could ask her how to remove Ganon from my body, and th-

As I turn to leave, my knees give out beneath me and I fall, my body giving way to the strain and exhaustion of the past few hours, the adrenaline spike finally wearing into a crash.

"Easy my boy, you had quite a day," the Deku Tree says gently. "You can afford to rest for the night. Come, we have a bed ready for you out of the rain and we need to get that wound tended. There are many plants here with medicinal uses. We should be able to get you healed in no time."

As he finishes his words, a Korok appears in front of me, hopping up and down with a bright him is another Korok carrying a few flowers and leaves. I force myself back to my feet, following the little creatures as they lead me over to a barely visible openingin the Deku Tree amongst the greenery.

Wandering inside I am greeted by a few Koroks, the little creatures wandering around to gather herbs and mushrooms from the walls and ground within the Deku Tree. To the left, three of them are gathering together what looks like a bed made from nature itself – layers of branches and moss and leaves all woven into a rough mat. At first glance it doesn't look like it will be at all comfortable, but a tiny woody nub wraps around my finger a moment later as a small Korok carrying what looks like maracas on its back pulls me towards the bed. Immediately, I recognize the instruments as belonging to Hestu, and realize with a jolt that those I knew from the future either have yet to be born, or will not remember my time with them. Before I can dwell too long on the sadness of not living long enough to see any ofmy friends from the future again, a small voice pulls me out of my thoughts.

"Grandfather says you are the one who saved us."

"I am not sure that you are safe yet…"

"Well, I believe you will do what you need to, hero….and when you do, I will perform my dance for you."

Memories of the older Hestu come to mind, and it takes me a great amount of effort to bite back a smile.

"I am sure it will be a delightful dance, Hestu."

The little Korok jumps a little, startled, and turns to face me.

"You know my name!"

"Of course, who in this forest hasn't heard of the Great Dancing Korok,Hestu?" I manage to stutter, cursing myself for the slip.

"Woooow! One day I hope to travel out of this forest and share my dancing with all of Hyrule."

I let out a breathy chuckle as I sink down on the pile of leaves, pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it is, although perhaps it is merely my exhaustion making it feel as such. A little Korok comes to my side with an armful of herbs, Hetsu helping it to start mixing the flowers together into a rough paste, the mixture taking on a bioluminescence. As they smear it across the surface of a few velvety leaves, I turn my attention to the remains of the arrow that pierces my arm. The tip is protruding from the back of my bicep, and I grit my teeth together as I curl my fingers around the stone and giving it a slow, strong pull. The movement burns like fire and I hiss out a curse, acutely aware of the fresh blood that is running down my arm and the seemingly endless length of wood remaining to be drawn from the wound.

It is a long moment of miserable struggle before I have the damn thing out, and I fling the remaining end of the arrow away from me in disgust once I am free of it. The Koroks rush in as soon as I have the wound clear, applying the leaves across the puncture in a sort of crude wrap that winds all the way about my shoulder.

After a few moments of pain the area goes numb, the herbs working their magic to heal me.

Exhaustion is quick to take over after that, and I let out a long yawn as I sink further into the bed.

"Goodnight, Mr. Hero" is the last thing I hear before sleep takes over.

* * *

I feel heat on my skin and liquid running down my me, I can hear the screaming of little voices, crying out in terror and pain.

I open my eyes to fire and carnage.

The clearing around me is burning, the Deku Tree itself engulfed in wild flames that lick at the darkened sky as they spread to other toppled trees,the warped and splintered branches pinning dozens of the tiny Koroks to the soot-charred ground as fire slowly consumes the area around them. As I watch, the flame gets close enough to catch one of the little creatures and it begins to scream, the fire charring its skin black as it is burned alive.

My first instinct is to run and help, but my feet refuse to move, my head turning with a sluggish ease that doesn't at all match the alarm I feel as I slowly take in the blaze around me.

Beside me another tree catches fire, the Koroks trapped in the cage of its downed branches all beginning to cry out in panic as they thrash to escape. Among them is Hetsu, struggling to get away but trapped with the rest of his brethren to die.

I try to cry out, to call for him, but my mouth won't open.

It does move, however, and to my horror I can feel my lips curling up into a _smile_ as I watch the tiny Koroks catch flame, burning alive. They all run around for a moment after the fire reaches them, the flames eating at their flesh as they cry out in pain before falling to the dirt, their bodies slowly collapsing in on themselves in a pile of smoldering embers.

My gaze stays on the Koroks until the last of them falls, sobbing out a final little cry that echoes hollow in the clearing and is swallowed up by the crackle and roar of flame barely a heartbeat later. Only then am I able to look away and I drop my gaze to my feet, hoping to avoid the awful sight before me.

There is no respite on the ground, however, for lying at my boots is a bloody mass of flesh, sparsely interspersed with tufts familiar blue-grey feathers, and I feel the bile rising in my throat.

I had assumed it was ash darkening the ground.

It is blood.

To my left is a mound of gold sand, slowly blowing away in the wind kicked up by the flames' heat. A shredded blue cloth flaps in the breeze nearby, caught on a tree branch. To my right Urbosa's armor is glowing red hot in the middle of a roaring fire, and it takes me a long second to realize that the twisted and charred fuel source is not branches – it is a corpse.

A few seconds later I spot Mipha's hand beside one of the fallen trees, lying limp against the dirt, and for a moment I assume that the massive trunk must have fallen and crushed her. But then I realize that the arm ends at the elbow – it is not actually attached to anything. Near the elbow the flesh ends in a jagged line, the bone poking out a sharp white where it is splintered off and the skin hanging loose around it. Her bracelet is dented, the metal jabbing deep into the skin, and at least one of the fingers on her hand is bent a little too far back to be natural.

The rest of her body is nowhere to be found.

My hands flex at my sides and I glance down to see them soaked with blood, the thick slide of it dripping from my fingers with a sickening heat. The flickering light of the inferno shines off of it, reflecting a jarring crimson against my dark skin.

Leaving no mystery as to who was responsible for the carnage.

A tiny sound catches my attention, and a part of me _prays_ that Isimply imagined it as I feel myself turning to see where it came from.

I am one again a prisoner in my own body, watching it act without my permission.

On the far side of the clearing, her clothing charred and her face splattered with blood, is Zelda. Her eyes are impossibly huge against her pale face, shining in wild fright, and I feel that awful smile creeping back as my body carelessly kicks what remains of Revali's corpse to the side.

My boots scatter the flickering ashes of the burnt Koroks as I stride toward the Hylian princess, no one left alive to stop me.

"Link!" Zelda cries with a trembling voice, raising a hand to me, begging, _pleading_ , as tears stream down her face.

Both of her legs lie broken beneath her. She cannot run.

In two more strides I stand above her, looking down at the princess as she tries unsuccessfully to drag herself away. I step on one of her feet to pin her in place and she screams in agony, doubling over as I put pressure, twisting her foot and wrenching splintered bones at jarring angles within her.

She recovers with surprising speed, her panic lending her an adrenaline rush that is wasted because the only thing within her reach is a stick that is far too short and brittle to damage me.

"Link!" she cries again, her voice a wail as I stand emotionlessly above her, watching her struggle.

In a sharp move I grab her by the hair, hauling her head back, and on instinct her hands fly to my grip, leaving her front exposed.

"So long, _Princess_ ," I hear myself sneer.

And with that, I plunge my hand straight into her ribcage.

* * *

I jolt awake, choking on my own scream and drenched in sweat. My blood is pulsing through my veins with a force that I can feel, and the phantom sensation of my fist shattering through frail bone and soft muscle to clench onto a beating heart has me shaking my trembling hand as hard as I can, trying to dispel it.

"What's wrong, Mr. Hero?"

The sudden voice causes me to jump in surprise, and I glance to the side in time to see Hetsu climbing onto the bed.

"It was just a…just a nightmare..." I manage to stutter, aware that my heart is still racing and wondering if the little Korok can hear it as clearly as I can. "A really realistic nightmare."

I sit there for a long moment, staring at my hand as I slowly clench and then uncurl my fingers, still feeling the phantom weight and heat of dream Zelda's heart. As I sit up and go to swing my legs out of the bed, however, I notice what appears to be a bundle of neatly wrapped leaves and wood sitting on the floor by the cot. Hetsu must see my confusion, because he gives me a smile and explains.

"While you were asleep, we made you a new tunic and gear."

The little Korok motions toward the pile, and I slowly unwrap the uppermost bundle to reveal a new set of clothing.

The garment itself resembles a tunic, but appears to be made from layers upon layers of leaves, arranged like scales. The material feels more like leather than plants, however, and I raised a brow as I lift the outfit to further examine it. When I hold it up against my shoulders for size, the tunic comes to about my knees and has a hood.

"It is a present, from us to you," Hetsu grins. "Try it on!"

I strip off what little remains of my Champion tunic and draw the new one over my head, carefully tugging it into place and smoothing it down. Like the bed, it is surprisingly comfortable despite the materials it is made of, and has a good range of movement for something that isn't cloth. An added advantage, I note, is that I no longer have to see my ugly, dark skin and the webs of purple veins pulsing right beneath it.

Beneath the tunic I find a familiar weapon set, recognizable now that it is no longer obscured by the leaves. The gently curving wood of a Korok Bow, Shield, and Sword greet me as I pick up each weapon in turn, looking them over. The wood that they are made of is like iron, strong and resilient despite the grainy feel and earthen tones. The designs on them are painted in pale greens, like moss growing on wood, and swirl over the surface in large, blocky curves. The weapons feel natural but elegant, as with everything the Koroks make.

I carefully strap the weapons to my person, settling my tunic once they are in place, and turn my attention to the last remaining item that I have been gifted.

At the bottom of the pile is what appears to be a tall, rigid leaf with two slits cut in it, identical in style to the mask the Koroks wear. Noting Hetsu's excited smile, I slip the mask onto my head, settling it in place as the little Korok jumps up and down happily.

With the mask in place, I head towards the exit to speak with the Deku Tree before I start on my journey to find the goddesses, the haunting pulse of my nightmare still ringing uneasy in my rain is still falling when I step out into the clearing, and I draw the hood up over my head, happy to find that the tunic seems to shed the water.

The Deku tree stirs as I approach it, blinking down at me with a gentle smile.

"I see you are doing better…and that you have received the Korok's gifts."

"Yes," I nod, holding my arms open to glance over the robes. "They will be useful in hiding my…current condition."

"Well my boy, I suppose that is all we can do to assist will take a few days for the wound to heal completely, but the medicinal properties of those plants should make the pain manageable. I wish you the best of luck on-"

I frown a little as the Deku Tree pauses, looking off into the distance in silence for a long second.

"What's wrong?" I ask, looking around for whatever had taken him by surprise. The Korok Tree startles a bit at my question, looking back down at me in concern.

"It seems a group approaches. I believe it might be the other Champions."

His words bring a cold chill to my body, and my breath chokes in my throat, my dream flashing back to me in vivid detail. The blood. The _death_.

I have already felt my dearest friends die at my own hands. I will not risk it happening this time – not with the knowledge that Ganon is a prisoner within my skin.

"They can't know I am here…not like this," I choke out."Please, do not tell them I am here."

The Deku Tree frowns down at me

"I would think it would be better to confront your friends and tell them the situation…may I ask why?"

I look down at my hand,curling my fingers slowly and blinking hard to dispel the memory of seeing my palm drenched in blood.

"They can't know…not yet. For their safety."

Just as the words leave my mouth I hear the distant sound of movement through dense foliage and I snug the Korok mask into place, running to the nearest tree. Scrambling my way up the trunk, I take cover in the foliage to avoid being seen, praying that my new tunic will help me blend.

After a few minutes of tense waiting, five dark, hooded figures enter the clearing, the light rain dripping off their cloaks. The figure in front is holding an achingly familiar sword close to their chest, and I swallow hard as I realize that it must be the princess.

When the group reaches the pedestal in the center of the clearing most of them draw back their hoods, revealing the weary and dejected faces of the champions. They look tired, still bearing the marks from their fights against Ganon – Revali is in a sling, and Daruk's body is cracked in places. Urbosa seems to be missing a good portion of her hair, and Mipha has faint bruising mottling what little of her pale throat that I can see from beneath her dark hood.

They look defeated and tired, but that doesn't stop the slight thrill of joy from blooming in my chest at seeing that they all still _live_.

The Deku tree smiles down at the group gently as they look up to him for guidance, and I am close enough to hear him speak when he addresses them.

"It's good to see you again, Princess. As well as you, Champions."

"It's good to see you too, Great Deku Tree," Zelda replies, her soft voice tainted with a visceral sadness that strikes something uneasy within me.

"What brings you all here?"

For a long moment the Champions are silent, exchanging uneasy glances as one by one their gazes all fall to their feet. At length Zelda brushes her hood back and steps forward, hesitant at first, as she clutches the sword to her chest.

"We came to return the Master Sword and…pay respects to its fallen owner."

For a moment the words don't even register properly, and it takes me a long few seconds to connect the word "fallen" in her sentence with myself. I startle a little in surprise at that, blinking hard in shock.

The Champions think I am dead.

The Deku Tree keeps a surprisingly straight face through this revelation, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking again.

"…I the hero has sacrificed himself for the greater good."

Zelda nods meekly, not glancing up from where she cradles the Master sword in her arms.

"With Ganon gone, there is no reason to keep the sword from its slumber…" she murmurs. "And…and we can give Link peace."

The Deku Tree nods.

Zelda walks up to the pedestal with the Master Sword, her movements slow and deliberate as the Champions look on in reverent silence. Holding the weapon by the hilt, she slowly points it downward and inserts it back into the slit, an unearthly glow surrounding the blade as it slides into place.

Once the sword is properly returned, Zelda steps back, clutching her hands together as if feeling the absence of the weapon she'd been clutching. The princess takes a slow breath, looking up at the sky and blinking hard before she beings to speak.

"Hero of Hyrule…" she starts, frowning a little at the words before huffing out a small breath and starting again. " _Link_ …you were always a courageous one. You were always fighting with all your heart to protect those around you, and in the end…you gave your life for everyone."

I swallow hard, some strange feeling creeping over me as I realize that I am about to be a witness to my own eulogy.

"I know at first we never got along," Zelda says, her shoulder lifting in a little shrug."Butas time went on, we grew closer, and I could call you my friend. As we rebuild the kingdom… _our_ kingdom…you will be remembered as the hero who made this all we will never forget you. _I_ will never forget you."

She hesitates for a moment, uncertain, before stepping back with her head bowed, drawing her hood up once more.

As Zelda walks away, Revali steps up to the pedestal. The Rito stands for a moment, shifting in near uncertainly, before clearing his throat and folding his good arm behind his back.

"I know that…we didn't have the greatest relationship," he starts, his voice strong but hesitant."But despite my hostility towards you, I saw you as a worthy rival…as an equal. You surpassed everything I expected of you, and I can honestly say that without you…we probably wouldn't be here. Thank you, Link. And…don't worry about the kingdom, I will keep an eye on it."

I am shocked at Revali's humility.

Urbosa steps up to take the Rito's place, looking after him with a raised brow as Revali moves to stand by the others. The Gerudo warrior takes a slow breath, her eyes falling to the sword as she shakes her head a touch.

"I can't say I can beat Revali's words," she starts,"but I do want to say that you did an amazing job out there - far beyond what I expected. But then again, you are the hero of legend, always destined for greatness. You kept your promise to protect the princess, and for that I am grateful. Now it is time for me to make a promise to you."

Urbosa glances back at the other Champions, her stare lingering on Zelda for a moment before she returns her gaze to the sword.

"I will continue where you left off, and I will stand by the Princess to care for Hyrule in the years to come.I will proudly take up your promise in your stead. My only regret is that I didn't get to see you take down that monster in the end…I bet it was a spectacular fight."

Urbosa steps back, and I swallow hard as Daruk hobbles up, his expression gentle as he reaches to caress the pommel of the sword.

"Hey there, little guy," Daruk says, his voice almost uncharacteristically gentle."You did some fantastic work out there. I am sad we won't be able to celebrate this victory with you, but without you we wouldn't be celebrating at all, now would we?"

He forces a smile, the expression jarringly out of place when paired with his sad eyes.

"We all owe you big for this. While you are gone, I will protect these lands from harm. You have my word, brother."

The Goron bows his head a little, his hands folded before him, before trudging back to the others.

The last to step forward is Mipha, the Zora princess' steps hesitant as she approaches the sword. The hood of her cloak is pulled far enough up to hide her facefrom my sight, and she has a shapeless bundle clutched to her chest.

For a long moment she is silent, and I can see her throat work as she swallows hard. Mipha takes a breath, gathering her resolve, and when she speaks her voice is soft but doesn't waver.

"Link…I can't find the words to say 'I'm sorry' adequately enough to convey the guilt I feel," she starts, her grip tightening a little on the package she holds. "I made a promise to you that if anyone tried to do you harm, I would heal you. No matter when, or how bad the wound. But I…I failed you…and now you are gone. I never even got to say goodbye."

Her voice begins to waver a little, and my throat clenches as she slowly starts to lose her composure.

"You're gone, and you're never coming back. Now, there is just an empty void…one that I don't know if I will ever be able to heal…or if I want to. After this was all over, I was hoping we could spend time together…that I would finally find the courage to present you with this."

She offers the bundle up a little, the movement small and dripping with hopelessness.

"It was rightfully yours from the beginning, and it always will be. I just…I wish you were here…just one last time…so I could g-give this to you in person. So I could tell…tell you that-"

Mipha's words choke off, the Zora doubling over a little as she clutches the bundle hard against her chest, her shoulders shaking. A chill comes over me a moment later as I realize that she is crying.

She sets the bundle down at the base of the Master Sword.

Zelda and Urbosa reach to comfort Mipha as she retreats to the group, and I swallow hard as I see her shake her head a little, refusing comfort. Trying to be strong.

They stand there for a long moment in silence, each waiting to see if the others will speak. Urbosa is the first to find her voice, and she clears her throat slightly to catch the attention of the others.

"Perhaps it is time that we go back to the castle. We have a lot of planning to do to in order to rebuild the damage done by Calamity Ganon."

Zelda nods in agreement, casting one final long look at Master Sword before slowly turning away and beginning to walk back the way she came. The Champions wordlessly follow her, each offering a nod to the Deku Tree in farewell.

I watch the shadows of the Champions vanish into the mist, waiting a few extra minutes after I can no longer see them to make sure the coast is clear before I dare to leave my perch. I scramble down from the tree, feeling shaky as my feet once more touch the forest floor, and I slowly cross to where the Master Sword is shining in its perch.

I stare down at the bundle that Mipha left for me, my heart aching as my eyes trace over the familiar pattern. When I reach for the package, I already know what I'm going to find inside of it.

However, I am not expecting to see an item from my past tucked carefully on top of the bundle.

A single tear runs down my cheek, feeling overly hot against my skin, as I draw out what to any normal eye would look like a rock on a silver chain.

It is a trinket that I had thought long lost to the wear of time – one that I'd never imagined to see again – and I feel emotion choke my throat closed as my hand starts to tremble.

 _Oh._

 _Mipha…_


	8. The New Mission

Seeing the necklace again is enough to bring tears to my eyes, the bittersweet ache reverberating deep through my chest and out of my body in the form of a shuddering breath.

I can hardly believe she'd kept it.

Scrubbing a fist harshly across my eyes to clear my glassy vision, I tie the trinket securely around my neck and tuck it into the front of my tunic. Reaching into the bundle, I carefully draw out the Zora armor piece by piece, my eyes soaking in the familiar details as they bring back the memories from the future, when I had first received it.

At the time, it had been a bittersweet gift too - a symbol of love that had never been given to its intended.

After another few seconds I move to pack the armor back up in the cloth, shifting the material as I do to hide the stitched embroidery of the Zora Royal Seal.

I can't leave the armor out here. It holds far too much importance to sit on a false grave.

With the armor looking far more like a simple, inconspicuous travel sack, I sling the bundle over a shoulder and turn to face the Deku tree, staring for a moment as I find myself at a loss for words.

"You must go now, my son," the tree says, looking down at me with a fond sadness. "You have a long journey ahead of you still."

"Thank you for everything you and the Koroks did," I reply, finally seeming to find my voice after the shock of everything I've just witnessed.

"It is no trouble my son. You have always been accepted as one of us, and we Koroks take care of each other. We have for millenniums."

He pauses briefly to stare into the distance, his expression thoughtful.

"I do not sense your friends in the forest anymore. If you wish to remain unseen, go the southern route from the forest - it is the fastest way out. The little ones have already marked the way for you. I will watch over the Master Sword, as I have for thousands of years, until you return to claim it once more. Good luck, child."

I nod in acknowledgement and without another word or even a glance back, I begin walking to the southern end of the Korok Forest.

The tiny Koroks chatter from the trees, wishing me luck as they play hide and seek in the branches overhead and the shrubbery at my feet. The further I get from the clearing, the fewer of them I can spot.

It is only another minute or so before I come across a little shaded path leading up a hill, the trail ending in front of a rather frightening looking, but familiar tree.

There, I find a stone sign that has been left by one of the Koroks:Maca.

 _Just climb into this tree's mouth to leave the forest. I promise it won't eat you._

A grin tugs up at my lips as I recall the first time I found this tree, many years ago. I had been more than a little skeptical that it was a trap.

Now, I barely even pause as I climb into the tree,watching the mist begin to pour over the jagged bottom rim of the "mouth," creeping up to surround me until all I can see is white. I close my eyes, taking a deep breath, and patiently wait until I hear the eerie little cackle of the tree announcing that I have been teleported.

When I open my eyes, the mist is slowly curling away from me and I am back at the ruins near the entrance to the forest.

Everything is quiet, and thankfully there is no sign of the soldiers from the night before.

Quickly and quietly, I make my way toward the edge of the forest, hugging the cliff edge as I do. The mist in the air dissipates slowly, fading into a faint drizzle as I slip down toward the fort once more.

Quickly, I survey the area for any guards, but I am surprised to see none around, and I frown a bit.

I leave for a few months to guard the princess, and apparently the whole training ground goes slack without me to captain them. I would think that given the commotion last night they would at least station someone out here...

If these were Urbosa'stroops, she would be having a fi-

"WHY IS NO ONE GUARDING THE ENTRANCE!?" echoes over the hill from the training camp, jolting me sharply from my thoughts.

Desperate not to be seen, I clamber up the hill that runs along the road and lay prone at the top, hoping my nature-hewn tunic and the trees lining the road will conceal my presence.

Not a moment later, Urbosa, Revali, and a handful of cadets come into view, making their way up the road toward the entrance of the forest.

"How incompetent can you be?" Urbosa berates the cluster of rather terrified looking cadets, completely unsympathetic. "If you saw a potential threat to the kingdom, your job is to inform us and guard the last known location of the danger. We could have been putting the Princess in danger by taking this road unprepared. What if we were attacked in our weakened state? You will stand here and guard this position until your 'demon' is captured."

The Cadets all jump straight to attention, shouting "yes, ma'am" in chorus. Satisfied that she's scolded them thoroughly, Urbosagives one final long _look_ at the group before turning in a whirl of blue fabric to stalk back toward the training camp.

Revaligives a scowl at the Cadets for good measure before scurrying after her.

Curious, I scramble into a low crouch, making my way along the top of the cliff a few yards behind them, straining to hear their conversation.

"-annot believe the naivety," Urbosa is complaining to Revali. "It's like they haven't even been trained!"

Revali is quiet for a long moment, looking like he is debating how best to phrase his thoughts, before he picks up his pace a touch to walk abreast of Urbosa and clears his throat.

"You know…as a proud Rito warrior, I am sure I could fight whatever it was they saw in my current form."

"Oh, sure,"Urbosa mocks. "And tell me, 'great warrior'… in what wing would you hold your bow?"

"Oh, ha-ha…" the Rito drawls. "It's not my fault that Mipha isn't able to fully use her healing powers right now."

The atmosphere changes at that, something tense crackling in the air, and they both fall silent for a long second, looking away from one another. It is a long moment before Revali speaks up again. "It's unlike her, really. She never seemed so distanced before."

"She's also never lost someone so close before," Urbosa scolds gently. "We both know what those two meant to each other, even if neither of them said anything. It will take time…And not just for Mipha."

"Ah yes, the other Princess had a thing for him too, huh?"Revali asks, his tone trying desperately not to be bitter. "Quite the little charmer. Honestly, I don't see what they saw in him."

"Well, he was strong, kind, courageous, and quite handsome," Urbosa lists, counting off on her fingers with a bittersweet smile."Whereas you are boastful, egotistical, and annoying."

"Well, aren't you pleasant company."

Urbosa laughs.

"I am only pulling your wing, Revali. You actually said some surprisingly nice stuff back there. I didn't think you had it in you."

"Well, don't get used to it." Revali turns towards the camp with a huff, re-settling his feathers with a shake. "Come on,let's get back to the camp. We have a pair of distraught princesses to comfort."

"My, my…is this the _proud Rito warrior_ showing compassion for others that I see?"

"Oh, shut it!"

I slow to a stop as the two wander further ahead, Urbosa's warm laugh echoing back to me. Something aches in my chest as I watch the two of them slowly vanish down the road, and for a brief, thoughtless minute I debate calling out to them.

A heartbeat later I shake that thought from my head.

I won't risk them against Ganon. Not again.

 _Never_ again.

Resolutely, I watch until my friends can no longer be seen before I dare to move from my hiding place, slowly making my way along the edge of the cliff and using the trees as cover. As I get closer to the camp, I pause everyso often just to make sure I am not seen by any of the guards that are slowly patrolling the wall.

As soon as I know that I am clear of the guard's sight, I return to the road, however I still travel closely to the trees, feeling far safer even with the minimal cover they offer.

The first rays of sunlight are just beginning to shine through the branches overhead as the grey clouds slowly dissipate, and I set out at a brisk pace toward the Spring of Power.

After a couple minutes of walking, I stumble across a familiar structure. The Woodland Stables - or at least what remains of it – stands in the trees just a little ways off the road, accessible to travelers. It seems that while the building manages to survive into the future that I'd just come from, it apparently had been rebuilt following the Calamity's initial attack.

Most of the structure is still standing, but the wood in most places is charred and one of the walls lies scattered into rubble on the ground. Half of its signature horsehead has been destroyed, the edges of the damaged area charred as if from a blast.

No doubt it came from the guardians that I'd seen in pieces around the training camp. I just hope no one had been around when they had attacked.

I risk a detour and jog down to the stable, hoping to find something useful in the wreckage like travel supplies or rations that I can scavenge for my trip.

The building is eerily quiet when I step up to what remains of the entrance, it takes me a long second to gather my nerve together enough to step past the stoop.

Inside, the place looks rather like someone else beat me to ransacking it. There are smashed boxes and barrels all around, overturned furniture and shattered glass acting as a sharp counterpoint to the neat and tidy memories of the place that I have.

The outside animal gates are all hanging open, most of them torn from at least one set of hinges, and the inside looks like it was quickly evacuated - almost nothing has been cleared out, and a number of valuables are scattered carelessly across the floor. I decide to take that as a good sign, hoping that perhaps no one was here when the guardians passed through.

I use the toe of my boot to shift the debris around as I creep a few paces into the building, my eyes darting over the haphazard mound of things scattered on the floor.

On one of the walls, a map is hanging half-torn from the wood, and I take a moment to pull the remaining nails from the wall and roll it up to take with me. Among the various barrels I am able to collect some food in the form of mostly apples and Hylian rice. I also manage to find a rope bag and a few arrows to fill my sparse quiver, which I quickly pack as well. The rest is either not worth bringing, or in a state of too much damage to be of use.

The one thing the stable seems to be distinctly lacking, however, is horses.

I glance around one final time with a sigh.

It would have been nice to have Epona to bring me to the goddess' shrine - a trusted and sturdy mount to carry me there in a fraction of the time it would take to walk - but even though I was once again in the right part of the timeline, I suspected that I wouldn't find her.

My last memory was of riding her into battle with Princess Zelda clinging to my shoulders from behind as the two of us rushed to stop the Calamity. Just through the second gatehouse, around the east passageway, a Skywatcher had fired at the ground ahead of us, the searing beam tearing up the narrow strip of land that we were on. Epona had mis-stepped in the rubble, flinging both Zelda and I from the saddle, and the last glimpse I'd caught of the poor thing was Epona plummeting off the edge of the strip of land and down into the rushing water below.

I did not have high hopes for her survival.

Gathering my meager supplies together, I slipped out of the destroyed stable, making my way into the forest. According to my newly-acquired map, I would need to head to the Sou-

 _Crack._

The sound makes me jolt, and my hand immediately flies to my sword as I look around for an enemy that I cannot see.

When I finally catch a glimpse of movement through the trees, however, it is only a deer, munching on the sparse grass that pokes up between the trees. The young buck has yet to notice me, and I feel my brow climbing as I am struck by an idea.

Well, it may not be a horse, but if it saves me from having to travel by foot...

Lacking a way to lure the deer over, I draw out one of the apples that I just scavenged. For saved travel time, a portion of my rations seems a small price to pay.

The creature is wary at first, but with the Korok armor to ease his fears and the lure of fresh fruit, it is only a few moments until the buck is eating from my hand.

"I need you to take me somewhere, friend," I whisper, fetching a second apple from my bag as the deer eyes me suspiciously. "I need a ride to the shrine of the goddess."

The buck starts in on the second apple, eyeing me in growing curiosity.

"It is a brief trip, and then you can be free again. Would you do this for me?"

The deer continues to chew away at the apple, making no move to run when I take a step closer and reach my free hand to rest on his side. Gripping onto the coarse fur at the nape of the creature's neck, I am quick to pull myself up on the deer's back. The buck stirs a little but he stands relatively calm as I settle myself on his shoulders.

"All right, my friend...let's get moving."

A little pressure from my hand against the side of his neck turns him in the direction of Trillby Plains, the deer sidling a little as he adjusts to my weight. A gentle squeeze from my heels nudges him into a walk, and from there I gently coax him up into a run. Once the buck has set his pace as a quick, bounding canter, I draw out my map once more.

It will take a day or two to reach the Spring of Power from where I am now, and from there I can hopefully purge Ganon's evil from within me.

And I just have to accomplish all of this before the champions manage to track me down or discover me.

* * *

"I've got to say, Revali really showed a side of him I never thought I would see." Daruk muses, settling himself on the ground with his legs crossed before blinking back up at the princess. She merely gives a little shrug, smoothing her hands self-consciously over the front of her dress.

"Sometimes tragic occurrences can change a person for the better." Zelda offers mildly. "…or for the worse."

She glances in pity over at the silent Zoran Princess sitting in the corner of their lodging.

The cadets had been kind enough to let the Champions and Princess use their training camp's mess hall as a temporary living area, as Daruk's sheer size rather limited the places that they could stay. It was far more meager than any of them were used to, but it was spacious and clean and relatively undamaged.

They had divvied up the room into roughly "girls" and "boys" sleeping areas, although the terms mean little to Daruk as he settles himself at Zelda's side.

"And what about you, little princess?" he prompts gently.

"I'm doing... fine," Zelda answers slowly. "I just have a lot on my mind at the moment. I have to be strong for my kingdom. There are pieces to pick up before we are able to continue. I'm just not sure if I will be able to do all of it alone."

Daruk gently pats the princess's back, his giant hand nearly engulfing her small frame.

"You aren't alone in this. You have me and the other champions to help undo what the Calamity caused. In fact, if you don't mind me using one of your little soldiers, I would like to get a message to my brothers on Death Mountain. You are going to need a Goron's strength to clear the rubble and remove those blasted guardians from the town. And I am pretty sure the other Champions will be willing to lend a hand," he nods, the volume of his voice increasing a little as he turns and calls over to the Zora: " Isn't that right, Mipha?"

Zelda turns to the Zora Princess as well, hoping to hear a response, but Mipha is far too lost in thought. Zelda and Daruk exchange a look when a long moment passes in silence, and Zelda edged to her feet with a concerned frown to cross to the Zora's side.

"…Mipha? Are you okay?" Zelda asks gently, reaching out to rest a hand on her shoulder.

The sudden touch causes Mipha to jolt, pulling her from her thoughts. The Zora blinks up at the two of them, tears slowly pooling in her eyes as she grounds herself in the present once more.

"Sorry," she whispers, hanging her head. "I would like to say that I am fine, but I haven't been myself lately, have I?"

She takes a slow breath, collecting herself before she speaks again.

"Of course, we will do what we can to help you. With your permission Princess, I would like to return home personally so my father knows that I am safe. I will send some of our warriors to the castle with supplies to act as guards until I can return, as well as a few of our architects to help you rebuild."

"I appreciate it Mipha," Zelsa replies with a sad smile. "Please, take as long as you need."

Mipha nods, opening her mouth to thank the princess, but before she can, the door to the mess hall opens and Revali enters with Urbosa following close behind.

"Excuse me, Princess, but I have to ask who trains your cadets in proper military procedures?" Urbosa says in a tone that is just shy of a demand. Zelda offers a sad smile.

"That would have been the previous Royal Guard Captain…Link"

"Oh..." Urbosa says, deflating. "…well, I guess I will have to catch these men up to speed. They are in no position to defend either the royal family or Hyrule in their current form. I will send for one of my best trainers immediately."

"You aren't going to do it yourself?" Revali questions.

"I am more curious about investigating this 'demon' situation. It's odd how it showed up right after the defeat of the Calamity."

"You don't think…" Zelda whispers, an undertone of panic in her voice, and Urbosa lets out a long, slow breath.

"I do not know. The only information I received from the guards was that the creature had dark skin, white hair, and yellow eyes that pierced into their very soul. They said it made no attempt to confront them, but if it is a threat to the kingdom, I must find out for myself."

"Then I will join you," Revali announces. "I made the same promise as you to watch over this kingdom."

"We went over this, Revali... how are you going to defend yourself if you can't hold a bow?"

Mipha perks up a little at that, getting quickly to her feet and moving over to Revali.

"I...I can try again, if you would like. To heal your wing."

"By all means," Revali says with a smile that could almost be considered sarcastic, offering out his wing.

Mipha rests her hand gently over the singed feathers and closes her eyes, breathing slow and deep as she focuses her concentration. At first nothing happens, and the Zora slowly scrunches her face up in focus as she pours more effort into the task. After a few seconds a small light flickers from her hand, slowly ebbing out into a steady glow that moves out to envelope Revali's wing. The light holds for a moment, surrounding the injured wing, and then it fades away back into her palm.

"I'm sorry," she says gently. "It's not perfect, but you should at least be able to fly again."

Revali pulls his wing from the sling and begins to stretch out its full range of motion.

"Ah, that is much better, actually. The soreness I can deal with... being stuck on the ground, I cannot."

He turns toward Urbosa, crossing his newly-healed wings as he tips his head in question.

"I assume you have a letter to send, so I will take Medoh back to Rito Village and then meet you all back here."

"I must get back to the castle, and to my people," Zelda adds, nodding. Then, seeming to remember something, her hands drop to her travel bag. "I must get this fixed as well."

The Champions exchange looks, hovering in curiosity as she pulls the broken Sheikah Slate from her bag.

"There is something I must show you all once it is fixed," Zelda says quietly. "Something I don't think you will believe unless you can see it for yourselves."

"That will be fine," Urbosa nods. "I will accompany you back then, princess. I wanted to start at the castle anyway - apparently, a guard thought they saw something odd coming from the direction of the castle before this 'demon' was found."

"Everything is set, then?" Zelda asks, and is greeted with several nods. With that, they exchange quick goodbyes and solemn nods, and then Mipha heads towards the door with Revali close behind.

"You two stay safe," Zelda calls after them. "I cannot lose any more of my friends."

* * *

 **A/N:** Merry Christmas Everyone! I was trying to get this out before Christmas Day but yeah...trying to do things during the Holidays is hard for me. But think of this as my gift to you guys.

Anyway, this is kind of appropriate time to release this chapter as it is the beginning of a new journey and a new year is just around the corner. I would like to thank all my readers for dealing with my very long breaks in-between chapters and I hope you enjoy.

(Also I would like to thank Crankymcgranky for pointing out a mistake I made in the previous chapter. It has been edited a bit to adjust for the detail but overall it is pretty much the same. Just a bit of potential new info.)


	9. Dead Ends and Broken Hearts

The sun was just starting to descend in the sky as I rode through the trees, a light breeze scattering dappled patterns on the grass before me as the leaves shifted, letting the light stream through in patches. The Spring of Power is only a short distance ahead now, but the terrain is starting to get steep, even for my agile friend, and I decide that here is as good a place as any to part ways. A gentle tug at the ruff of longer fur along the nape of his neck slows the buck to a stop, and I slip to the ground once he stills.

"All right, my friend," I begin, stroking the deer's nose when he nudges against me in question. "This is where we part ways. Thank you for getting me this far. Now it's time for me to keep my end of the deal."

I gently turn his head, so he faces into the woods, and then back a step away.

"Go on, get out of here."

The buck hesitates for a long moment before hopping off into the treeline, and I watch until he is out of sight before turning my feet in the direction of the spring once more. The path from here is quick to vanish, ending in a ring of cliffs that overlook a verdant valley, and I stand for a moment just taking in the beauty of it before I begin my careful descent.

It had taken me two days to make my way to this shrine, the trip lengthened by occasional side-tracks from my route as I avoided other travelers on the road -people returning to their homes to try and pick up where their lives left off and guards rushing from one village to another to bring news and ask for reinforcements. The most notable of those encounters had actually been Mipha herself, the Zora making her way back home via the river. I had watched her go by from an outcropping of rock a good stone's throw away, and I'd nearly had a heart attack when she paused in her journey to look around and stared right back up at me. I had still been wearing the Korok mask, so I doubted that she recognized me, but I'd fled before she could think to follow, urging my buck at a gallop without daring to look back.

The orange glow of the late noon sun is reflecting off the nearby rocks as I finally reach the bottom of the valley and approach the wall of vines that I know conceals the path to the shrine. The stone around the area is covered in a thin spattering of moss, and the tiny ferns and shoots of grass at my feet look like they have grown undisturbed for quite some last time I was here when Zelda came to pray to the statue. Let's hope it answers me.

I brush the trailing foliage aside with a sweep of my arm and duck into what appears to be a carved-out tunnel, water dripping from the ceiling at a steady rate before working its way through the cracks in the stone floor.

The far end of the tunnel opens up into a grotto – a statue of the goddess rising from the center of a pool of crystal water – and I slowly make my way out into open air once more. As I step from the tunnel I notice that it is significantly darker outside than it had been a moment ago, and I lift my mask to look around. Above me, the clouds are dark and swirling like an impending storm, though I can feel no wind. As I watch, the clouds darken even further and pick up speed, tiny licks of flame burst to life in the sky in a ring.

 _So…a carrier of the Triforce has come._

I barely have a second to react before the tendrils of fire burst into a raging flame, burning like a lion's mane around what I can now see is the head of a dragon. A cry of surprise chokes in my throat and I stagger back into the safety of the tunnel, drawing my Forest Dweller's sword as I watch the dragon reveal itself, coiled around the upper ring of the grotto like a giant snake.

 _I am sorry to say, but that sword is a poor weapon choice against me._

"What do you want?" I demand, shifting my grip on the handle of the blade nervously, _well_ aware that I don't stand a chance if the dragon decides to attack.

 _Be calm, mortal…I did not come here to harm you. I merely sensed a familiar power and I came to see if it had truly found its way to this shrine._

"Familiar power? You mean the Triforce?"

 _Yes, particularly the Triforce of Power. It resides in you, however it is not what it used to be. Its golden power has been corrupted into something dark…and unholy._

"Ganon…"

 _So you have had a run in with demon himself, I see. Those eyes of yours show a fear and pain that has festered for millennia. I am surprised that you still have your sanity after accepting such a burden, but then again it seems that there is more to you that meets the eye._

The dragon shifts its weight slightly, sending small stones scattering down into the water with tiny splashes all around the grotto.

 _Yes…you are indeed the carrier for the Triforce of Courage. I almost did not recognize its power in such a condition._

"I must ask the Goddess - is there a way to banish Ganon and end this?" I ask, stepping from the shelter of the tunnel. "I must know if there is a way to end this cycle of destruction."

The dragon lifts its head slightly, an expression crossing its face that could almost pass as curiosity, but the creature does not reply for a long few seconds, and I feel my heart begin to sink.

I am about to repeat my question when something in the atmosphere seems to change, an indescribable weightless pressure that I can feel more internally than externally, pressing at me with a force that makes me feel incredibly small.

A second later, a pillar of light bursts from the Goddess statue in front of me, shining into the sky in an endless, blinding stream. From the light, the silhouette of a feminine figure slowly takes shape. I am awestruck from the heavenly display, unable to look away or even blink as the figure solidifies into a definite outline within the light.

I am snapped out of my wonder by the sound of a gentle voice speaking in an unknown language.

The words have a strength and command to them that seem powerful enough to move the very earth, but the voice still bears the subtle tones of a compassionate request – a mother speaking to her child. I have barely had time to register that the goddess is speaking to me before everything flashes white for an instant and I am left blinking spots from my eyes, looking around the clearing to find that she is gone.

When my vision finally clears I find the dragon staring down at me, sporting an expression that is almost impressed. I blink up at Dinraal for a long moment, trying to gather my wits about me, and take a moment to sheathe my sword before I speak.

"The goddess…what was she saying?"

The dragon shifts again, sending more tiny stones bouncing down the side of the cliff and into the water.

 _Ah, yes…I forgot that the divine language has been dead to your kind for millennia. Perhaps that is why I found myself lured here this evening._

The dragon uncoils slightly, its front half crawling down into the grotto with all the smoothness of flowing lava, the stones glowng bright orange from the bursts of fire about its neck. When it speaks, its voice reverberates off the walls, causing the very water to ripple slightly.

 _The Goddess Din answered your question. If you want to remove the curse upon you and banish that demon, you need to wrest control of the Triforce of Power from him. Return the Triforce to its original glory, and remove that malice that infects its golden glow._

"I made a wish on the completed Triforce…that's how I ended up here like this," I start, a faint hope in my chest. Does that mean that I still have access to it somehow?"

 _I rather doubt that._

The dragon lifts its head back up, looking down the bridge of its nose at me once more.

 _Were your virtues in equal balance when you made the wish?_

"Equal balance?"

 _Yes. Any who complete the Triforce can make a wish on it – good or evil – but in order for the Triforce to remain in one piece after that wish is made, the asker must bear an equal balance of Power, Wisdom, and Courage within them. If they do not, the Triforce will break into pieces once it grants the wish, leaving one piece with the one who made the wish - usually the piece of the virtue that the wisher values the most – and finding two hosts for the other two pieces. Or, in your case, reuniting the pieces back with their original owners. Judging by your current state, someone had broken your spirit before you made your wish, and your courage faltered. That, in turn, led you into making a rushed decision because you thought you had the power to simply go back and fix it all._

The dragon gives the approximation of a shrug, causing the flames about its head to jostle and spark.

 _It's a slippery slope…one that many fall from._

"So what did she say that I had to do in order to wrest the Triforce of Power back from Ganon?"

 _She didn't. You only asked her how to get rid of the demon…not how to take back the Triforce._

"What?!" I yelp, my frustration and surprise overriding what would normally be a far calmer reaction. The dragon merely chuckles at my offense, the sound rough and low.

 _Din is short on words and not one to guide her followers along by the hand. She far prefers to give you your goal and leave it up to you to achieve it._

"Well, do you have an idea at least?" I ask, exasperation bubbling hot in my chest.

 _I do not…but someone else might,_ the dragon muses, glancing slowly up at the sky before returning its stare to me _. Naydra, Nayru's spirit dragon, is wiser than I, and might be able to help you. I suggest you go ask there for help._

I bite back the snide reply that is sitting on the tip of my tongue, my hand clenching and unclenching at my side to work off the fury I can feel building inside of me. In the back of my mind, I can practically _hear_ the echo of Ganon's laughter. I take a deep, slow breath, forcing my hands to relax at my sides before I address the dragon once more.

"Thank you for your help."

 _Good luck, mortal._

And as I turn and duck back into the darkness of the tunnel, my head reeling at all I've just witnessed, one thought slowly works its way to the forefront of my mind…

I really hope that deer didn't go far.

* * *

Mipha slowly makes her way up the river towards Zora's Domain, still feeling a little lost and unbalanced as she wonders how to even begin processing everything that's occurred in the last day or so.

She had only just barely survived her encounter with Waterblight Ganon, mostly due to Link's self-sacrificing victory at the castle, and it had taken most of her energy just to heal the gash in her side before she risked bleeding out. It had been quick, messy work, and the scrawling scar still shines a bright, angry red against her side, barely closed. She will have to try again to fix the damage, once she can piece enough of her heart back together to put it into her work.

But the real pain – the blow that had nearly finished her on the spot – was when she had finally managed to make her way to the castle. Almost losing her life had put things into sharp perspective for her, and the idea of waiting for a better moment to tell Link how she felt for him had been thrown out the window. She'd finally plucked up the courage to gather the armor she'd made for him, swimming to the castle as fast as her over-taxed body would allow, and walked into the throne room with her heart soaring.

It had been perfect.

They had won.

Ganon was gone.

They had all been at the palace again, together, and _safe_ , and _alive_.

And then Link hadn't been.

The news had been so inconceivable and so incredibly unexpected that none of them had put the pieces together. They'd all ignored every clue, from the sour faces of the guards to the fact that Zelda was wielding the champion's sword. They hadn't even noticed. However as soon as Zelda had spoken, it was like all of those details rushed back into focus, unveiling like some cruel joke.

She'd been in shock for a long few moments after receiving the news, something pounding in her heart and refusing to let her believe what Zelda had said. Even now she is not sure she believes it entirely. There is still some tiny, foolish part of her that is hoping that they all somehow misinterpreted it all…that Link was merely hiding away somewhere out of sight.

But with every hour that passes, that hope begins to dim.

The worst part of it all had been that there had been nothing to mark his death.

No emotional pain, no soul-splitting twinge the moment he'd been struck down, and even the connection she shared through healing him so many times still felt as strong as ever. Everything is exactly the same, and yet in an entirely, encompassing, _shattering_ way, it isn't, and never will be.

Link is gone.

She would never see his bright smile or hear his warm laugh again. They will never be able to sit together and watch the sunset on Vah Ruta, or wade together in the shallows. They will never enjoy the warmth of a fire on a cold night by each other's sides, or listen to the waves washing against the shore at the first breath of dawn. They will never be able to be anything more than they had been when he died, and the engagement armor she'd spend months meticulously crafting with her own two hands would sit and slowly age to dust on a grave for a hero whose body couldn't even be recovered.

Link is gone.

And he is never coming back.

The realization hits her a bit harder than she expects, and Mipha leaps onto the next bridge she comes across to catch her breath, her heart burning in her throat with a choking pressure that turns her next inhale into a sob.

Mipha takes a gulp of breath, firmly shoving her thoughts to the back of her head as she looks around at the scenery, trying to ground herself once more.

She cannot waste time mourning now; she has a job to do. She will not betray Link's memory by giving in, no matter how sickeningly painful the dark, twisted little feeling of grief within her may be.

Movement from the top of a nearby ridge catches her attention, and Mipha glances up in time to see an unfamiliar figure staring at her from the ledge. The creature is dressed in a verdant green as if it was formed by the forest itself, and its face is covered by what she can only assume is a mask, shaped like a large leaf.

Mipha blinks up at the figure for a moment, narrowing her eyes as she tries to get a better view, and the creature jolts hard as it realized that it has been spotted.

It seems to be frightened of her gaze, and Mipha watches as it scrambles to its feet, turning and bolting away from the river.

For a moment she wonders if it is the demon that the guards had reported to be haunting these parts, but is quick to shake the idea from her head. Why would a demon have need to run from her?

She can't help but wonder if the figure on the ridge might have been a Korok from the Lost Woods. She has heard rumors of their forest-like appearance, of course, but has never seen one with her own eyes before, nor has anyone that she can remember besides Lin-

The sadness sweeps back like a cold breeze, and Mipha frowns down at the water as she feels the familiar ache start up in her chest once more.

It seems like everything only serves to bring up bittersweet memories of her dear, lost champion.

Mipha glances one last time at the deserted ridge before turning her attention back to the river in front of her.

Whoever it had been, they clearly weren't a threat.

Although that comfort does little to stop the sense of prickling unease that she feels resting along the back of her neck like a cold stare as she leaps into the water, swimming toward Zora's Domain once more.

It is not too soon after that she starts to see rubble scattered across the bottom of the river in chunks, a selection of rocks and bricks and even something that looks like a guardian's detached limb. She surfaces when she rounds a bend in the stream and almost plows head-on into a wall of broken stonework. The bridge that had crossed the stream has been destroyed, all but a tiny outcropping on either bank now lying on the bottom of the river. Just on the horizon, she can see smoke.

Mipha leaps from the water, arcing over the debris and swimming as fast as she can toward the Zora's Domain, worry settling like lead in her stomach.

She leaps from the river as soon as she crosses into her homeland, startling badly when she comes face to face with a guardian lying on the bank. Thankfully the machine is inert, the central mechanics ripped out and trailing across the ground from a jagged hole in its armor. The arches that normally line the edge of the Zora's Domain are all in various states of collapse, most of the walkways that once spanned the water all lying beneath the lake in fragments.

It takes her barely a second to be in the water again, speeding toward one of the crystal waterfalls that poured down from the plaza and shooting up the stream of water like a bolt of lightning. She bursts from the water at the top, airborne for a second as she twists her body around to land gracefully on the platform at the top.

The plaza itself has also sustained damage, with rubble strewn across the ground, deep gouges carved into the stonework, and hasty barriers constructed across the stairs to block off the upper levels.

There had clearly been a fight here.

"Princess, is that you?"

Mipha's attention snaps up at the call, her eyes darting to find a Zoran guard peering down from the level above. It is not long before there are dozens more Zoras looking over the ledge, most injured in some way but roughly bandaged and readily brandishing weapons.

"What happened here?" Mipha calls up to them, feeling a frown tug at her lips as she glances around at the destruction once more. "Is everyone okay?"

"What's all this commotion? What are you all looking at?"

A smile comes to Mipha's face unbidden, and she looks up once more in time to see Muzu peer over the ledge, trying to figure out what everyone else is staring at. Mipha offers a tiny wave as her teacher's eyebrows shoot up and his mouth drops open in surprise.

"My Princess! You have returned safely! We had thought you were lost after Vah Ruta stopped moving!"

A smile creeps across the old Zora's face, and Mipha can swear that she sees tears starting to form in the corners of his eyes.

"Move that barrier at once! Let her in, you buffoons! Quick, before another one of Ganon's despicable beasts shows up."

"You will not have to worry about that, Muzu," Mipha calls as a handful of Zora rush to help move the hastily stacked rubble. "Ganon has been defeated."

"What?!" The old ray clutches a hand to his chest and reels back so hard that Mipha fears for his heart. Muzu seems to recover himself quickly, however, and leans over the ledge once more.

"Come, my Princess, you must inform your father of all that has taken place."

Mipha darts up the stairs and is quick to scramble over the barrier as the Zora citizens reach over the top, offering hands out to assist her.

As she weaves her way through the crowd, seeing the many relieved faces of the Zora and their families, she breathes a sigh in relief. They were fortunate - her people made it out of the attack a lot better than the Hylians had.

Muzu joins her at the steps that lead to the throne room, hovering in concern as he looks her over for injury, frowning at the sloppy scar on her side. There will definitely be a lecture about carelessness in store for her.

"MIPHA!"

Mipha's head jerks up at the cry, and she has barely a second to shift her stance into a brace and raise her arms before her little brother Sidon comes flying down the stairs, leaping the last seven or so steps between them. The little bundle of energy lands neatly in her arms, clinging like a limpet as he shouts her name again, and she hugs him tight with a laugh.

"SIDON! How many times do I have to tell you to stop doing that?" Muzu scolds immediately. "One of these days, you are going to slip and-"

"It's fine, Muzu," Mipha soothes, nuzzling her face against the top of her little brother's head as he wraps her in what will one day grow up to be a spine crushing hug. "…just this once."

Mipha shifts Sidon's weight onto her hip in order to better balance the child as she ascends the remaining steps to the throne room. At the top of the stairs she is met with a boisterous laugh that has her throat tightening with emotion, and she ducks her head in a quick bow.

"Hello, father…I am back."

"My dearest daughter, I believe half of Hyrule knew you were back after Sidon here so joyously announced it, but I am glad to see it with my own eyes," the elderly Zora says with a soft smile.

Mipha looks him over, her smile falling away a little as she sees the scratches that cover his body and the thick bandage that wraps around his head. She carefully lets Sidon slide to the floor before padding closer to her father's throne.

"Father…what happened to you?"

The King shrugs, dismissing her concern with a little wave.

"Nothing to concern yourself over, my dear. A minor wound. After that tremor yesterday, we were attacked by a swarm of bokoblins - simple and poorly trained creatures. They were easily dispatched by the soldiers, however we did not expect one of the Hylian's guardians to come storming this way. At first, we thought it was reinforcements, but its lights were glowing a strange shade of red, unlike the blue we see from Ruta, and it began firing on our soldiers. No matter what they tried, the soldiers couldn't seem to get close enough to stop it, and they were slowly pushed back into the entrance of the Domain. As soon as I realized that our people were in danger, I got involved." The king leans back in his throne, a little smile on his lips. "It was a tough fight, I will give it that, but the creature now lies at the bottom of the river where it should not be able to harm anyone else. After that, we brought everyone up to the upper levels and barricaded it to protect our people in case reinforcements came."

"That is what makes you a great king, father," Mipha smiles, feeling her heart swell with admiration. "You are not afraid to put yourself in danger for your people."

"You are a shining beacon of that yourself, my dear," her father replies gently, pride glowing on his face. "So tell me…what of Ganon?"

"I can give you the good news that the kingdom is now safe. Ganon has been defeated," Mipha announces with a smile, but the following words catch hard in her throat as reality comes crashing like a spear of ice through the warmth of a moment ago and her voice falters. "…by Link."

"That is wonderful news," her father booms, leaning forward in his throne joyously. "The darkness gone at last, and the Kingdom allowed to be at peace! I cannot wait to congratulate the young hylian on his accomplishment. When will he next be stopping by for a visit? I know that you have something you've been meaning to give him, if I recall correctly."

Mipha can't speak.

Her throat in cinched so tight with sorrow that it hurts to even breathe, and her vision is a glassy blur as she stares blankly ahead.

 _He's not stopping by_ , she thinks, the words forming in her mind but her tongue refusing to speak them aloud. _He's never going to stop by again._

For a long moment there isn't so much as a sound, and her father shifts a little in his throne as his smile falls to a little frown of concern.

"Mipha…?"

She still cannot seem to reply, her lips parting for only long enough to take a small, shuddering breath as she tried to fight through the crushing wave of sorrow. Somehow having the eyes of everyone in the throne room fixed on her in worry is only serving to grind in the fact that she has to tell them. She has to tell them all that her hylian, her precious Link, is dead.

A light tug at her Champion scarf draws her gaze, and she blinks hard, trying to clear her vision enough to see little Sidon, staring up at her with wide, worried eyes.

"Mipha? Did you get in a fight with Link?" he asks, the child's naevity stabbing her through to the core. Oh, how she wishes it were something that trivial.

Her next blink sets the tears that have pooled in her eyes streaming over her cheeks, dripping from her jaw to land in little dark splotches on the stone at her feet as the air chills her skin where their tracks are. She opens her mouth a little, her brother's name catching in her throat as she feels sadness twist hard and sharp in her gut.

"Mipha?" Sidon asks again, his voice getting smaller with fright as he sees her crying. "Are you okay?"

She holds her composure for only another second, long enough to give the tiniest shake of her head "no," and the child's brows knit in a frown.

A second later, he grabs hold of her hand in both of his and puffs out his little chest. "I-if Link hurt your feelings, I'll-…I'll…"

Mipha lowers herself to her knees before the little Zora, reaching to catch his face in her hands and hating that she will have to break his heart like this.

"I'm sorry, Sidon," she manages to whisper, her voice strained tight through the tears that are now flowing freely over her cheeks. "Link…isn't coming back anymore. He died…defeating Ganon."

The little boy blinks at her in shock for a long second before his bottom lip starts to wobble and his big amber eyes well up, and Mipha is quick to duck close, the sight of her little brother's tears too painful for her to cope with right now. Sidon lets out a little wail of anguish, too young still to know how to process this pain, or to try and reel in his emotions as she has been struggling to do, and Mipha cradles him close, stroking a hand over the boy's head fin as the shocked and saddened murmurs of the other Zora hum in the background.

"Oh, Mipha…" her father murmurs, his voice thick with pity as a sob slips past her lips, wracking her body. "I'm so sorry…"

Sidon is openly sobbing and for a long moment Mipha tries to focus her attention on him, on trying to comfort her brother as she ignores the dark sorrow that is creeping in around her, threatening to steal her breath away if she thinks about it too closely.

"I'm sure it was a comfort to him, at the end," her father soothes. "Knowing that you loved him so."

And with that her composure shatters away like broken glass, leaving her sobbing into her baby brother's arms.

No _,_ she thinks, _loathing_ herself for being such a coward.

He never knew.

* * *

 **A/N:**...Happy early Valentine's Day?

Hope you enjoyed. Reviews are welcomed...please don't hate me. (Hate my editor).


	10. Fight or Flight

I settle my mask back into place with a small shift of motion as a I make my way back out of the grotto, the dragon's words heavy on my mind.

From here, I will have to journey to Mount Lanayru for the answers I seek.

It feels like a slap to the face.

Coming all this way only to leave empty handed, sent on another wild goose chase for the answers I seek…it's infuriating.

As I brush the draping foliage from my path in a sharp jerk of motion, stepping out into the open once more, the last thing I expect to see is my deer friend waiting just outside the tunnel to the spring, grazing calmly nearby.

"Well, hello."

The buck glances up as I approach, flicking his ears in greeting.

"Why are you here?" I ask, offering a hand out.

The deer responds by pacing calmly to my side and pressing his nose to my palm, unnaturally green eyes fixed on me.

"Well, I'm not quite sure why you stuck around, but I am certainly glad to see you."

I run my hand up along the side of the deer's muzzle, meeting his bright gaze.

His eyes stay fixed on me for a long moment, and it strikes me as strange because wild creatures normally avoid eye contact. Before I have time to think on it, however, I feel the buck go tense beneath my hand, the calm fleeing from his body in a heartbeat. A second later the deer is drawing away with a little snort, taking a few sharp paces before looking back over his shoulder and pawing at the ground impatiently.

"What's the rush, buddy?" I ask, following along behind him with a concerned frown as he prances a little, almost nervously.

The buck's ears flick to the side a half second before he snaps his head up in the direction of the cliffs, and I follow his gaze to the top of the ridge.

Squinting against the sun, I can start to make out a cluster of figures moving at the edge of the drop, the light catching in glints off of metal. A moment later I can make out the small contingent of soldiers gathered in a cluster, leaned in close with weapons drawn and pointing in my direction.

I've been found.

Suddenly the buck's urgency makes sense - that pillar of light must have been visible for miles; I would be surprised if the Citadel had not sent anyone to investigate.

I have to get out of here.

I begin creeping toward the first bit of cover I spot, hoping that my movement will not draw their attention, but that hope is short lived.

"Hey you!" echoes down into the canyon before I can slip away. "Wait right there!"

So much for stealth.

My cover blown, I don't waste a second running the last few steps to the deer's side and swinging myself up onto his back, and with barely a tap of my heels the buck is off, flying over the sloping ground that leads up out of the quarry with a grace that is born from purest nature.

"Stop!" another of the guards shouts after me. "Halt, in the name of the Crown!"

In response, I tap my heels once again to the buck's sides, urging him on faster.

I have absolutely no intention of stopping.

I focus my attention on navigating the ravine, and don't even spare the soldiers a second glance until I hear one of them bark "after him!"

When I do glance up, I find the soldiers rushing down the road that edges the valley, likely hoping to cut us off at the top of the path, but my buck is faster.

It barely takes a minute to cross the base of the valley and charge up the incline, and a mere moment later we are barreling out of the quarry and heading straight into the plains.

I glance back in time to see the soldiers pouring out of the trees, most of them turning to continue their charge down into the quarry until one of them spots me and hollers for the others.

Luckily they are too winded and I am too far away for them to pursue me, and I take a moment to thank the goddess that they didn't have horses.

What by buck has in speed, horses would make up for in stamina, and my poor companion cannot keep up this pace for long.

With the sun slowly descending at our back, I direct the buck up into the North Akkala Foothills, hoping to find shelter among the trees.

Our pace slows considerably once the soldiers are no longer in our sight, and I lean forward to murmur my thanks to my companion as his chest heaves for breath.

"That was a close call, my friend. Thank you for helping me escape."

The buck offers a snort in response.

We continue in silence from there, and I let my animal friend take the lead as I contemplate the difficult journey ahead of me.

I am running low on supplies, having burned most of my stock on the way to the shrine, so I will need to replenish before I start the next leg of my journey.

Additionally, the journey up to Mount Lanayru will be freezing, and if I try it unprepared, I will die from frostbite before I even make it half way. I will need something to stave off the cold.

Luckily, Warm Darners should be native to this area, so crafting some cold resistance potions should not be a problem.

I simply have to find a couple of the speedy little pests first.

The trip across the plains is blessedly uneventful, although that doesn't stop me from keeping a sharp eye out for trouble.

If the past few days are anything to judge by, it would seem like I am a magnet for it.

Thankfully it is not too long before we reach a wooded area, and I carefully slip from the deer's back, giving my loyal companion a well-earned rest as I continue on foot, scouting around the canopy as I go. This will be as likely a spot as any to find the bugs I need.

I spend the remaining hour or so of daylight scavenging the woods as my deer grazes nearby, the lavender hues of night taking over as the shadows from the trees slowly stretch into a blanket of darkness. By the time I find the various herbs, mushrooms, and Darners that I need, it is almost dark.

I will need to take shelter for the night, however, something about this patch of forest is setting my nerves on edge.

This feeling is further confirmed as I approach the buck and find him standing rigid, looking into the trees with blown pupils and twitching ears. I run my hand along his neck to soothe him, listening closely for whatever has startled him as I glance around the trees. A moment later I sense it as well, the uneasy weight of something watching me.

A snort from the shadows is all it takes to have me scrambling onto the deer's back, and then we are charging through the trees again, running from whatever waits for us in the gathering dark.

I have no intention of sticking around long enough to find out what is waiting for me.

Leaving the little patch of woods behind us, I head the buck in the direction of Bloodleaf Lake, hoping to find a sheltered spot along the water where I can set up camp for the night. I will brew the potions that I need, get some rest, and then tomorrow at first light I will head south to the shrine.

As we get within range of the lake, however, the warm gleam of a light catches my eye.

"Huh…that's odd," I murmur to the deer, stroking my hand down his neck as I stare at the light. "I hadn't thought there was anything out this far…"

Part of me knows I should avoid an obvious risk like this, but my curiosity is too strong to resist, and with a light tap of my heels, the buck angles his path up toward the light.

Halfway up the hill, I can make out the source of the glow.

There is a small cottage overlooking the lake, of simple build and with a brick chimney sprouting from a thatched roof. It looks distinctly Hylian in build.

Not quite ready to believe my luck, I slip from the deer's back and creep closer to inspect, cautiously peering through one of the windows. The building appears to be empty, however the presence of a few lit candles on the table and coals smoldering in the fireplace signal that it is not abandoned. Perhaps the owners have simply stepped out.

I creep around to the entrance and test the handle, a touch surprised when the door opens with ease. It seems that the inhabitant did not lock it behind them, which means that they are likely nearby and planning to return soon. With a final glance around, I duck quickly into the house, heading for the kitchen. Once there I open the cabinets as quietly as I can, checking over my shoulder every few seconds, until I find a number of small jars, likely meant for preserves or pickling.

Normally, I would be opposed to stealing, but under the current circumstances, I figure that my priority is getting rid of Ganon for good. Once I have solved that problem, I can find some way to pay them back.

I carefully pack the glass jars into my makeshift backpack, settling them tight so they don't rattle around and break. On my way out the gleam of copper catches my eye, and I find an array of cookware dangling from a rack beside the fireplace. I murmur a quiet prayer to the goddesses as I choose a decently sized pot and draw it down, thankful that I will not have to craft a bowl from bark or stone to cook my potions in. With my pot in tow, I slip back out of the house before the owner returns, closing the door once more behind me.

I head down to the lakeside with the deer at my heels, following the water's edge until I feel that I am a safe distance away from the cottage, and set up a little camp at the base of the cliffside. My excess bags and mask hit the sandy ground with a soft hiss as I finally relieve myself of their weight, and I take a long moment simply to stretch the day's tension from my aching body.

The first thing I do while there's still enough lingering daylight to see by is collect fallen branches and pinecones from the nearby trees, stacking them up against the stone so I will not have to search for more fuel in the dark. That done, I hollow out a dip in the sand and begin to layer the pinecones and smaller twigs, overlaying those with larger pieces of wood before selecting a few large rocks from the waterside to set around the fire.

A handful of dandelion fluff and some pine sap are the only other things I need, and I settle myself beside the fire as I select a relatively flat piece of driftwood and a straight stick about the thickness of my finger. Rubbing the stick between my hands to roll it, I focus the tip into the driftwood and let the friction heat it until a little curl of smoke is coming up. From there it is only a matter of tipping the little smoldering bits into the dandelion fluff and blowing lightly on it until it catches.

Once I have the sap lit, I tuck the fluff in the bottom of the fire and blow on it until the pinecones catch. Only then - as the tiny flames begin to lick at the dry wood – do I take a moment to go fill my pot with water from the lake.

The stones take a little adjusting before the pot will balance evenly between them, but the sand makes it easy to dig them down deeper or settle them higher so they are even. With the water heating over the fire, I begin going through my sack. The hyrule herbs and hylian shrooms from earlier go directly in the pot – they will serve as my dinner tonight – and I take a moment to count through my Darners once more, double checking that I have gathered enough.

As I wait for my own meal to cook, I pull out some apples and set them in front of my deer friend. The buck gives them a sniff before biting into one, and I watch him with a little smile as he quickly devours the treat.

"I should really name you, if you are going to continue this journey with me, shouldn't I?" I muse aloud.

The deer tilts his head a little, ears flicking in confusion as he stares back at me.

"How about Ordona?"

The buck continues to stare for a moment before turning his attention to the apples on the ground once more.

"We will work on it."

With the last haze of daylight fading from the horizon, darkness consumes the area. The light from my campfire is mostly blocking my view of the stars, however it does nothing to stop the unearthly blue glow that starts to seep from between the plated leaves of my armor

I draw the pendant out from under my tunic, taking a moment to look over the shoddy craftsmanship with a bittersweet smile as the threads of memories come drifting back to me. At my side the deer looks up, his eyes locking onto the light for a long second before he begins to edge closer to the stone.

"Bit of a strange rock, isn't it?" I ask, offering the necklace out for the deer to sniff. "It's Luminous Stone. You can find this stuff throughout Hyrule, but this particular one came from Zora's Domain. I actually carved it myself, when I was ten years old, just before I left for my knight training. I had planned to give it to someone very special to me, but never really got the chance."

The deer turns his attention to me, tilting his head a little, and I shrug and glance away.

"The night before I left, I…borrowed a chisel from Dento, the smith. I wasn't very good at handcrafting items back then, and I _definitely_ wasn't too bright on proper crafting techniques. I had been trying to shape it into a heart," I shrug. "My hand slipped, and I ended up stabbing the chisel into my palm. And as if that weren't bad enough, I had decided to do my carving up on the Upland Zorana planes, overlooking the Veiled falls, because I liked the view. When I stabbed myself, I dropped the stone and it fell," I shrug, feeling heat creep over my cheeks even now. "It fell all the way down the cliff…and into the lake that surrounds the Domain. I felt like such an idiot."

"I tried searching for it, of course - I actually leapt off the cliff after it. Again, I was young and not too bright. Once it got dark, I could even see it glowing, way down at the bottom of the lake - but I could never seem to hold my breath long enough to reach it, and after a few hours of trying I simply had to return empty handed."

A little smile accompanies the beginnings of a laugh over my lips as I let my eyes drift to the crackling light of the fire.

"I actually ended up getting a tongue-lashing from Mipha for being up so late the night before such an important day for me. Of course, then she noticed that my hand was bandaged, and asked me what had happened…" I shrugged, turning my attention back to the deer. "I couldn't bring myself to lie to her, so I just told her I was making something special but lost it in the water. I never actually told her _what_ it was, but then again I guess you don't usually find luminous stones at the bottom of a lakebed."

I run my thumb over the face of the stone, noting how the jagged, inexperienced cuts had been smoothed into an almost unnoticeable gloss, likely from constant wear.

"Mipha must have found it, and kept it all this time," I murmur, more to myself at this point than the deer. "It's funny that she would return it, though. After all, it belongs to her."

I stare longingly at the stone in my hand, my eyes tracing the imperfections in the blue glow for a long moment until a far-off shout draws my attention up sharply.

In a second I am on my feet with my heart pounding in my ears, my hands scrambling to stuff the stone back beneath my armor as the buck stiffens, ready to bolt.

My mind whirls through a thousand possibilities at once – it could be the guards from earlier, or the homeowner whose pot I "borrowed" without permission, or even bandits along the road.

A few quick kicks are enough to send sand over my fire in a wave, snuffing it to coals, and I nock an arrow to my bow as I peer into the dark, cursing myself for destroying my night vision by staring into the light of the fire.

For a long moment there is silence, the air still and cool with barely the rustle of a light breeze through the nearby canopies to disturb it, but then a scream pierces the night, the pitch far too high to be anything but a child, and in a second I am charging into the trees with my bow at the ready.

Someone is in danger.

I dodge and weave in between the trees as best I can, my night vision slowly returning with every second that I strain to see in the dark. I can make out several objects moving in the distance, just between the standing black shadows of the trees. Out front is a lithe, delicate figure, running through the forest and tugging a smaller form that can only be a child by the hand behind them.

Following them are four shadowy forms -bulky and misshapen, their outlines far bigger than Hylians. The grunting squeal of their voices tell me without a doubt what I am looking at…a pack of Bokoblins, about to make a kill.

The two figures out front dive further into the trees and I follow quickly, my bow at the ready. They are heading in a straight path out before me – if I am quick, I will be able to intercept them.

The low-hanging branches and thorny underbrush drag at my clothes, trying to trip me as I charge after the group, an arrow clutched in my grip for the first clear shot I can get.

Up ahead, I catch a glimpse of the two in front just as the child stumbles, their hand torn from their mother's grip as they vanish into the underbrush. The woman – my eyes can pick out the details of her dress and wild, wind-blown hair much better now – is quick to whirl around and grab the child up again, but unfortunately that is all the advantage that the Bokoblins need.

I hiss out a curse as I watch the deformed creatures leap through the trees, quickly surrounding the two, but there is little I can do as they start to close in – I am still too far off, and the trees will claim any arrow I shoot long before it finds its target.

My pace becomes desperate as the child screams in fright - the chilling sound of a very young boy wailing in terror - and the woman positions herself to stand above the child, looking around at the monsters with a heaving chest, her hands balled into fists.

Glowing blue eyes bob and weave from the darkness in pairs, punctuating the bulky shadows that close in on the two, and my breath catches as I spot a glint of red among the group.

It is a pack of red Bokoblins, led by a blue one.

I finally get to a break in the trees as they start to edge closer to the woman and her child, and in barely a heartbeat I have my arrow on the string, the tip trained on the one closest to the Hylians.

However, for some reason, my fingers don't want to release the fletching.

I struggle for a second, willing my hand to unclench as the beasts close in on their prey, but it is as if my fingers have seized, and will not uncurl.

I cannot seem to let my arrow go.

 _Having trouble, Hero?_

I grit my teeth, doing my best to ignore his words as I _will_ my body to take the shot.

Slowly the Bokbolins are tightening the circle, their weapons prodding forward at the two as they edge closer.

My traitorous hand refuses to budge.

 _Foolish boy…Just let it happen. You cannot deny that you want to see our little minions succeed… Besides, do you really want those two Hylians to see just what has become of their precious hero?_

At that, I realize with a jolt that I left my mask back at camp - currently the only thing hiding my demonic face is the faint shadow of my hood.

The tip of my arrow begins to waver from its target as my hands tremble, and I slowly lower the bow as icy horror slams into me like someone upended a bucked of cold water over my head.

I can't be seen.

I can't risk anyone seeing me like _this_ …poisoned by Ganon's malice as I am.

 _Good,_ the voice croons, curling up through my thoughts, thick and dark like smoke. _Just give in to your fear. They will all die, eventually. Why risk yourself for them now? After all, it's not like this is the only time you left someone to die…is it?_

I shake my head _hard_ , part in denial and part in the vague, feral hope that I can whip my head hard enough to shake his presence from my mind.

Ganon merely laughs.

 _I am in your thoughts, hero. I know your past. Your poor mother..._ he drawls, and I feel my stomach clench and heave like I've just taken a punch. _She gave her life, and for what? So you could bring forth the re-birth of the very darkness that brought about her demise._

"MOMMA!"

My head jerks up at the piercing scream, and I am just in time to see the woman curl her body around the boy as a Bokoblin prances close, its bulky club raised high. The other Bokoblins dance around their victims, snorting and squealing in triumph as they cheer for the one out front to finish the hunt.

For one horrifying second, I actually entertain the question of whether I want to try to save the two strangers, or if I want to mind my own business and keep my horrible secret from the world.

But seeing the woman use her body to shield her child is enough of a visceral reminder that it tears me from that train of thought, a worn memory getting dragged to the forefront of my mind in the form of an achingly familiar voice.

 _Our family has always been called reckless, but in reality we just have the courage to do what is right no matter what it costs us. Never forget that._

 _Now…_

My body acts without thought, the movements second nature as I draw the fletching to my cheek, sighting along the shaft while my heart pounds in my ears with a static rush loud enough to drown out all else but the echoing memory of her voice...

 _Go, and do not falter, my child!_

The little jolt of adrenaline is all it takes to break from Ganon's hold.

There is a high pitch squeal as my arrow imbeds itself into the red Bokoblin's right eye and it falls to the ground with a violent convulsion, its life quickly draining away.

I am suddenly met with the shocked stares of two pairs of blue eyes, backed by the angry glare of the narrowed red ones. A command given in a low pitched growl has the two red Bokoblins rushing at me, one wielding a wooden club and the other with a wooden spear. Behind them the blue Bokoblin beats a soldier's broadsword against a battle-worn shield with a jarring clang.

I nock another arrow and quickly fire it at the Bokoblin wielding the spear as it approaches on my right. The shot strikes the creature between the eyes, the arrow sinking deep into its skull, and the creature tumbles forward with the momentum, its limp body sprawling in an awkward jumble of limbs.

Quickly switching my attention to the Bokoblin approaching on my left, I am in time to see it crouch, bringing its club up over its head just before it leaps at me with a holler, going for an overhead blow.

I step back sharply, maneuvering myself out of the immediate path of the Bokoblin's leap as I reach back to free another arrow from my quiver. I will not have room for a shot, so instead I whip into a spin, hoping to gain the little boost of speed and force I will need for my strike. I hear the Bokoblin land behind me as I whirl around, grabbing the shaft of the arrow tight in my fist with the point angled back along the length of my forearm as I build my momentum with the turn. As I rotate back around, I slam my arm out with all my might, jamming the tip of my arrow into the back of the Bokoblin's head. I feel the bone crunch a second before the arrow sinks in deep, and a heartbeat later the creature sags forward, limp, dragging the shaft from my grip as it slumps to the ground.

I look up to find the final Bokoblin now facing me, sword and shield in hand as it shifts its weight and looks me up and down, evaluating.

This one is not as dumb as the previous three.

I nock another arrow before the creature can charge me, but this Bokoblin is quick, and ducks behind its shield before my shot can claim its life.

My arrow hits the shield, the tip screeching a little as it deflects off the metal umbo in the center, and for one horrifying moment I am frozen in terror as the arrow deflects toward the woman and her child. Thankfully the shaft does not hit either of them, vanishing into the underbrush with a rustle, but the scare is more than enough to have me switching up tactics.

I quickly holster my bow, drawing my Forest Dweller sword and shield as I shift my stance from targeting to combat.

The blue Bokoblin slowly edges towards me, sword swinging in slow circles above its head and shield held out in front of itself.

I brace my shield and slowly lower my sword to my side, biding my time as I watch the beast approach and wait for the opportunity to strike.

As soon as the Bokoblin gets within range, it lunges at me with a squeal, sword jabbing forward in a direct stab. I bat the blade away with a swing of my sword arm, deflecting it to my left and throwing the creature's arms wide. This gives me a split second of opening to bring by sword up and carve an upward strike across its unprotected torso before it can bring its own shield into play.

The creature stumbles back with a shriek of furious pain, but does not flee. The Bokoblin drops its shield in favor of a two-handed grip on its sword and then charges in again, swinging the blade in a wild rage as it tries to slip a strike past my guard.

I slowly back away from the assault, giving ground in order to keep my distance and deflecting what attacks come near to me with a small counter strike of my shield to one side or the other.

When its initial attack proves to be futile, the Bokoblin makes the mistake of going for an overhead blow, and raises its sword above its head. In that second, I wrench my shield up to catch the blade before it can gain any momentum with the downswing, trapping the creature's arms up in the air. Before it can recover or back away, I bring my sword up, plunging it deep through the beast's stomach and up into its ribcage. I angle my wrist sharply, twisting my sword within its guts, and I watch the creature's shocked expression sag in death as its blood drips slowly down over the hilt of my sword.

The weight against the top of my shield slowly increases, the Bokoblin's corpse slumping forward, and I am quick to throw it to the side, shaking most of the gore from my sword with a sharp flick of the wrist.

My nerves are still strained tense with adrenaline, my hands trembling ever so slightly with the thrill of it as I scan the forest for more enemies, but save for my own heavy breathing, the woods are silent.

A sniffle brings my attention back to the two Hylians, and I stop myself halfway into the turn as I move on instinct to look at them, remembering at the last second that I cannot show them my face.

For a moment none of us move, and I am debating what I should say when the woman slowly gets to her feet, still cowering a little in fright.

"Wh…who are you?" she asks.

I am silent for a long moment, debating what answer I can give her, but she doesn't wait for my reply.

"Please…kind spirit…accept our thanks for your protection."

…Spirit?

The words surprise me, although I suppose it would make sense if they thought me dead.

It takes me a long second to remember the luminous pendant I wear, its light seeping a radiant blue between the seams of my armor and casting my demon face in a monochrome wash of blue and deep shadow, hiding the grey pallor of my skin.

I must indeed look rather ghostly.

The woman's voice is still laced with fear as she thanks me again, her eyes wide and her face pale, but as I watch out of the corner of my sight she offers a quick bow to me before gathering her sniffling son into her arms and hurrying off into the trees, heading back toward the cabin I had raided earlier for my cookware.

For a good while afterward I simply stand, staring ahead and contemplating what has just happened.

There is a slight, crusty pull against my skin when I flex my hand, the Bokoblin's blood starting to dry across my fingers, and the familiar, fetid stench from the one whose stomach I split begins to reach my nose.

I had thought that the monsters would have vanished back into the dark once Ganon had been defeated, but this encounter is confirmation enough that even confined within me, Ganon's continued existence is still being felt by the world.

I must find a way to rid myself of him.

I let out a huff of breath, taking a moment to shake the lingering traces of adrenaline from my limbs before crouching to wipe my sword clean in the grass.

My eyes drift to the body of the nearest Bokoblin as I smear the gore from my blade, and I hesitate.

Now that I think of it, there may be a way to stretch the use of my darners after all…

With a quick slash, I split open the Bokoblin's stomach, holding my breath and gritting my teeth before reaching into the beast's stomach and drawing out a large handful of intestines.

A few quick cuts free my prize from the corpse, and I stand with the guts held out away from myself as they leak a putrid yellow fluid onto the dirt where they were severed.

Perhaps I will gain something from this encounter after all.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'M NOT DEAD...YET! But seriously, sorry this has taken so long to get out but life has been a b***h for me recently and I won't bore you with details. I hoped you enjoyed and thank you to all the people who stuck through this unintended hiatus.

(Also yay I finally did the cover art for this story!)


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